Too special to die
by SubmissiveWings
Summary: "French, billionaire, muscular, Dominant. Yes, that Alpha Levi who appeared in the town last week. Raw, carnal and animalistic. The problem? I might or might have not provoked the short fucker and now he's after me! Any more questions?" Alternative Universe, Riren, Omegaverse.
1. Prologue

_**Too special to die**_

**Summary:** "French, billionaire, muscular, Dominant. Yes, that Alpha Levi who appeared in the town last week. Raw, carnal and animalistic. The problem? I might or might have not provoked the short fucker and now he is after me! Any more questions?" A.U., Riren, Omegaverse.

* * *

_**Couple:**_** Levi Ackerman x Eren Yeager (Riren, Ereri)**

* * *

**Warnings for this story**: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Levi, Omega Eren, discrimination, usage of sexual toys, caretaking, masturbating, blow jobs, hand jobs, biting, back-scratching, hair-pulling, licking, slapping, knotting, sucking, mating cycles/in heat, self-lubrication, first time, loss of virginity, multiple orgasms, throw-me-against-the-wall-and-fuck-me-senseless sex (and normal-as-they-can-be sex scenes), possessiveness, jealousy, self-worth issues, 'fuck-you-for-making-me-fall-on-my-knees-for-your-manliness', BDSM elements, protective Levi, 'let-me-hear-you', angst, watching from afar, BAMF! Eren, Extra BAMF! Levi, Transexual Hange, fingers as well as lips fetish, and of course raw, carnal, and animalistic Levi. Oh, and the fluff! And the unexpected kisses and sweet touches.

Let's not forget **THE PLOT** and the **SLOW BUILD**. Sorry and not so sorry? Hahaha!

More warnings will be added later.

**Rated M for explicit sexual content, adult language, graphic depictions of violence.**

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There are two songs that can be considered themes for this alternative universe fanfiction: _'Florence and the Machine- The hardest of hearts'_ consisting Eren's perspective and for Levi's point of view:_'Florence and the Machine- Howl'_.

Eren can say that Levi has the hardest of hearts even if that's just partially true. But Levi is _Levi_. He doesn't show, he howls and takes.

Just open a new tab, type Youtube and give them a shot. They are fascinating songs and are really creating a special mood.

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**A.N: **EDIT: Here it is! The final Beta-ed version of this chapter! I want to give all my thanks and love to junkie889 from AO3 who was so sweet and understanding and corrected all my silly mistakes. She is clearly the smartest person I met in my life, and if you enjoyed this chapter, give her some thanks too!

This beautiful fandom needs more fanfictions with the Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics. Such a beautiful kink and all of you are throwing it away like shit! So here I am taking the problem in my own small hands. Be rough with me because this is my first fanfiction ever. Rough is good!

For the innocent, little bastards who don't understand what an 'Omegaverse' is, don't you worry, kids! Mummy is here to explain everything in a few sentences, because unfortunately I can't copy and paste a link here for you to access it.

**'Omegaverse'** itself, as a whole, is a kink trope where the general behavior is based on the animal hierarchical system. All the following quotes were MOSTLY taken from 'fanlore':

"**Trope:** A very wide term that basically means a media stereotype. For example, the standard 'goth girl' character is a trope, because she shows up in TV shows, books, fanfiction, etc a lot. Tropes can be everything from characters, to relationships, to concepts. High school AU's are a trope, because they show up all the time in fanfiction. Tropes aren't inherently good or bad, they're just a way to categorize things. The A/B/O verse is a trope.

**A/B/O dynamics:** Somewhat like an adjusted version of wolf pack dynamics, but limited to two people in a romantic relationship instead of a pack. Not to be mistaken for being werewolves; they don't shift into wolves, and they don't have fangs, claws, fur, etc. They're entirely human, except in the way they relate to each other and form relationships."

Every writer can create their own unique 'Omegaverse'. But the basics are the same:

"**Alphas **are generally dominant and able to impregnate Omegas. Male Alphas usually have a knot when aroused.

**Betas** are subordinate to Alphas and may or may not be able to impregnate Omegas; in some fanworks Betas aren't present and the trope is known as Alpha/Omega, in others they take the role and functions of Omegas and Omegas aren't present.

**Omegas** are generally lowest on the hierarchy (although in some fanworks Omegas are rare and prized). Male Omegas are self-lubricating and have the ability to become (or not) pregnant, sometimes referred to as being bred or mated. Lovers may form pair-bonds with a special connection with telepathic or empathetic qualities. Paired Alphas may be jealous and possessive of their mate, while the Omega may become submissive. Omegas and Alphas may go into heat and need to have sex.

**Knotting** is a kink based on the bulbus glandis, an erectile tissue structure on the penis of canid mammals where one member of the sexual pairing possesses borderline animal-like traits such as a penis with a knot at the base that can swell to lock the male inside his partner, tying them together for a period of time until the knot deflates.

**Bonding** defines the action of two characters who want to get connected psychically or emotionally, possibly even telepathically, in an often predestined and permanent bond such as soulmates. Often contains intense emotional or physical scenes of the bonding process itself.

**Heat** refers to a phenomenon in which a character undergoes an estrus-like mating cycle in which they experience heightened sexual drive and the strong desire to mate or reproduce offspring."

Like I said everyone can create their own 'Omegaverse' view. Here is an aspect that you won't find in other fanfictions but is a central idea in this fanfic. Sex for Alphas is impossible without a claim (a biting). The biting always comes natural and it doesn't necessary means bonding. Read the chapter for more information.

There are more things than just what I related here but I can't manage making this author note longer than it is so if you want to find more you can private message me any time or use Google as your best fucking buddy. *winks* Got it, kiddos?

Enjoy this little shit now, if you can!

If someone is interested I track the tag **Fic: TSTD.** My blog is **themeekmaiden. tumblr. com **(without the spaces).

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_**Prologue**_

_When you least expect it, love destroys you, and there is nothing left but silence so pervasive that nothing will ever be the same again._

I had been too atrocious to live from the start.

…

From the day I took my first breath…

"I refuse to believe this! That thing is not my child! My child is an Alpha!"

…

To kindergarten…

"You're such a big freak. Who would want to play with a male Omega? You shouldn't exist! Daddy says that when he sees a specimen like you. Omegas should only be girls."

…

Primary school…

"Daddy, when I become a grown-up, I wanna be a Beta or an Alpha. I'm still undecided. If I change then the other kids will stop making fun of me and mommy can come back. Right?"

Turning his head, the saddest smile his lips could form worked its way across my father's face. In that moment I realized that it was fruitless. There really was no place for me in this world.

…

Secondary school…

"So thin! But he is indeed very cute."

"You keep saying that because you're a Beta. Let me tell you the truth. Eren is the ugliest. I am a true Omega and because of that I'm the most beautiful and the most amazing; not him. My Alpha can say the same thing."

"You don't and can't have an Alpha yet. We are only at the beginning of middle school."

"Shut up, Beta! In a few years I'll even have my own children."

Their voices were so clear, but apparently it didn't matter that I could hear them.

A Beta was the best decision after all.

…

"Eren, why is there blood on your face again?"

"Dad, I've decided. I'm going to be a Beta."

"Eren, what happened?"

"Alphas are worse than Omegas and one day I'll be the one destroying them all."

…

"You're really strong for an Omega, beating them like that. I re-really meant it yesterday. You're not ugly or anything. Don't let them put you down."

"Thank you, Armin..."

…

"Don't make a bad impression or I'll have to punish you. What is it you need to do?"

"Submit." I said in a barely audible voice. "In front of the adults and their Alpha daughter. If she wants to sniff me, I have to let her."

"Good. Don't let her see your disturbing scars. Don't make eye contact. Head low. Not a word. What's the girl's name again?"

"Mikasa."

…

"Stop it!"

"Eren…"

"I don't need your help, I don't need YOU and I don't need your protection. So piss off! You live with me now because I pitied you."

"Eren…"

"I might be an Omega and you're an Alpha but that doesn't give you any right over me. Remember that I killed people! Alphas! And I can still do it."

Her eyes changed but there was no fury in them.

"I saved you barely two days ago. You'll never be stronger than me. Does that make you mad, Mikasa? Being weaker than an Omega?… Deal with it!"

"Why did you give me your scarf?" The red material that was previously mine was gently wrapped around her pale neck. She hadn't dared to give it back and ended up keeping it, just like a souvenir.

The mild wind of spring was blowing through my hair as I watched two of my Alpha classmates on the ground, beaten and unconscious by none other than her. The rest of them had run away.

They had tried to touch me over and over again like they did every single day. I felt dirty.

I turned my back to Mikasa and started walking away.

…

"You can't be immune! My son can't be immune! It… it worked for the rest of the Omega males! Why you, son? Why only you?"

I was watching through heavy eyelids how my own father, babbling and in a half crazy state, was piercing my skin over and over again with a needle while blood rushed out from the wounds he was leaving behind. My wrists were tied down and my skin was burning like it had been signed with hot iron. I wondered how many days had passed since he had started this. I hoped that Mikasa was okay and that dad wasn't enacting experiments on her too.

'It's all your fault! You wanted to change! You told him you didn't want to live as an Omega!'

"D-dad…n-no…"

"I tried, Eren."

"No m-more…"

"I tried, and I failed."

"Please, no more! Oh, God, stop!"

"Maybe you really were meant to be an Omega after all."

…

"W-what happened?"

"Someone kidnapped you, Eren."

"I don't… I don't remember."

"It's okay now. Don't cry."

"Don't leave me, Mikasa!"

"I swear to you, Eren, I swear that for you I will get stronger."

"I don't want to be alone anymore…"

…

"It's going to get worse in high school."

"I know."

"We still have two more years though. But we will always stick together, no matter what, right? I mean… you, me and Mikasa."

"Yeah."

…

"Do you even know what a heat is? Can you at least imagine the pain you …?"

"I don't want to do it! This is what you want now, dad? To sell me to some big, macho Alpha who will make me their sexual slave for the rest of my pitiful life? Isn't it enough that you're spending less and less time with us? Where are you going, dad? What are you even doing?"

"We aren't talking about ME. I am talking about YOU here."

"It's because of mom, isn't it?"

"What? No."

"It's because I look more like her with each passing day? Because I make you remember that I was born a monster and she left?"

Dad's fist suddenly hit the table. I flinched feeling shame and anger tear through me at my father's outburst. There were instincts pushing me, tempting me to run to my small, cold nest, to hide and never bare my ugly head out ever again but I refused to be the stereotypical Omega everyone wanted. I refused to be what I was born to be. It was my life. My choice.

"An Omega without an Alpha's pheromones on their skin during the first heat will die a painful, futile death. There are tests conducted by countless experts on the subject. No Omega can survive alone during that crucial moment and this is the truth! No one can change that, not even you!"

"Then I choose death!"

…

"When the moment will come, will you let me help you, Eren?" Her fingers were warm on my scalp.

Mikasa was always gentle, hugging me tight when my basic instincts would take over and I retracted into her embrace. Omegas were needy, easily scared, and couldn't go without human touch for long. They needed love, encouragement, and guidance and it was impossible for my Beta father to grant me what I was in need of in moments like these when I wasn't myself.

Though the question still resonated in my head. I still had my own judgment.

"No, Mikasa, you're my sister."

Her hand fell.

…

"Eren, you know very well that this can be dangerous. It can destroy your unique smell."

"Come on, Armin. It's just a smell. Who cares? I don't need it anyway."

"Don't say that. You need your smell to be courted."

"You know very well that what you're saying will never happen!"

"Eren, your father didn't let you use them for a reason. Also to be honest you have the most beautiful and complex Omega smell that I've ever encountered. Don't do that to yourself."

"…"

"What?"

"I thought you had a crush on that big Alpha college student you always stalk near the central library."

"Your level of stupidity just reached 100%. Why in the name of everything are you my best friend?"

"…"

"That's right. No one can answer that... It was just a compliment, dumbass." His eyes were truly honest.

"Did you at least tell him, Armin?"

Armin's eyes lowered. "No, I never will. I will always be someone he never knew existed." His eyes watered.

"He left?

"He left."

…

"I want to start taking the pills when I start high school."

"That's in two months."

"Yes."

"Do you know the effects of these pills?"

"A pill per day removes my smell for the respective day marking me as a Beta. The Alphas' noses can't detect it."

"Do you know what adverse effects these pills can have on you?"

"If I use them for too long without a break, I can permanently lose my Omega scent, remaining scentless like a Beta forever. Also if my body doesn't accept them, they will trigger a very intense heat. There's only a one in a million chance for that to actually happen."

"Are you ready for the risks in case everything backfires, in case your first heat will be worse than it should be?"

"No." The omelet tasted more and more bitter by the second. Dad was avoiding my gaze and Mikasa was deathly quiet.

"I'm not lying, dad. I'll never be ready. All I can hope for is that there won't be a bad ending for me so soon. I've never wanted anything as much as I want these pills. Please, let me be happy just for once."

The silence that followed was my only answer and I took it as approval.

…

High school.

By now I knew that something was definitely wrong with me. There was so much anger inside that wanted to crawl out of my core.

Was it alright that I directed it toward them, the unfamiliar Alphas that always cornered me in the bathrooms at school or at the corner of the street without a reason, just for fun, just to get their hands on another hole to fuck? After all, it was very well known that male Omegas couldn't get pregnant.

I thought high school would be different but even with the pills they immediately knew I was an unmated Omega. I wasn't well-built like a typical Alpha and not as tall as the normal Betas. I stood out in the crowd and I couldn't blend in. I wasn't like Marco or Bertholdt.

"Connie, I don't know where that fucking scream came from but no one is here. Let's go back before Marco comes and..."

"Holy shit! Eren? That's Eren! Jean, it's Eren! What is he…?"

"What the…? Yeager? Stop! Yeager!"

It was only the first day of high school and the first time I had nearly killed someone. And then Jean had to come and started yelling.

Why was he here?

'Screw you Jean! I don't need your tiny Alpha mojo to save me. Don't you remember that I broke your nose earlier today?'

"Damn it, Yeager! Who the fuck did you just beat to death? Get your fucking crazy ass away from that body!"

There it was. The Alpha tone. A command. It was making my skin tingle with repulsion.

I hated it.

The body beneath me could hardly be recognized as human anymore. It was hard to think, to perceive or to see, but the image of his bloody nose which was in such an unnatural angle remained imprinted in my broken mind. I was a monster in more ways than just one.

The clouds of anger soon perished leaving behind thrums of pain and the horrible smell of fresh blood. Some of my fingers were broken in a grotesque way and the skin of my knuckles had peeled away in a few places. Soon panic began to take over and everything became a blur. Everything was so simple textured, so black and white, so full of taste but yet so bland.

I could perceive everything on my tongue, from the pack of gum Connie hid in his pocket to what Jean actually ate for breakfast. The worst smell of all was Jean's distinct Alpha smell which made me want to bleach my mouth. The scent of refined black coffee and rain moistening the earth actually made me gag. I found it repulsive. It was like every fiber of my being had already labeled it disgusting and I decided that hating it was the best decision.

What was going on? Was I trembling? I felt so weak and hot.

Almost like a roller coaster, another weird feeling suddenly punched me in the gut. The exterior pain began to fade, bringing numbness instead. There was nothing that could compare with the pain that erupted right after. Something was quickly burning me alive from the inside out without mercy. It was like a creature of fire climbing mercilessly through my very being and crushing my insides, ripping them from my body.

I screamed.

I hadn't cared about the emptiness that had been brought into my body after I took the first pill that morning. For the first time in my life I had been truly happy. For the rest of the day that emptiness remained, buzzing somewhere in the back of my mind, but I ignored it.

The pain was pure hell. I didn't feel alive any longer. I screamed again…or maybe I hadn't really stopped.

There were dynamic threats around me and I wasn't ready for them. I couldn't protect myself! Where was my nest? I needed to hide and prepare.

Prepare? Prepare for what?

Cold hands were now touching my face. I wanted them to stop, screaming and trying to shake them off or punch the one who held me but I couldn't. It was then that their smell surrounded me, the tangy aroma of sweet cherries and pasta. More importantly, it was another Omega and it was somehow reassuring.

"Connie, get Jean out of here now!"

Marco?

"Eren, I need you to calm down!"

Why was he whispering in my ear?

"Eren, please concentrate! Get hold of your instincts. Fight them!"

What was going on?

"I am going to take you home. Do you have an Alpha who can help you?"

Alpha? Help me?

'Also if my body doesn't accept them, they will trigger a very intense heat. There's only a one in a million chance for that to actually happen. **'**

Like a flip of a switch, I suddenly realized that the emptiness and the burning was a sign. I was that one in a million. I was now in heat and I was going to die in a filthy dark place after being raped by some faceless Alpha.

I was told I was a crazy, stupid, suicidal bastard for hating Alphas. Maybe I was. But I always stood for honor. It was my bastion, my only hope in the solace of the night and my armor of protection during the day. Alphas didn't love male Omegas. We were subspecies, slaves that could be bought, and were not regarded as humans with rights. We were without independence, just a quick fuck for an Alpha when their actual mate, a female Omega, refused to satisfy. That was our definition.

I would rather die than let a monster that just saw me as a sexual toy put their hands on my skin!

I pushed Marco away with all my strength ignoring his cry of surprise and ran in the opposite direction.

All my willpower, all my wishes and all my thoughts were gone. The pain from before had stopped spreading and all that remained were my fully awakened instincts and building anger. Run! Hide! Kill the monsters if they come too close!

Dashing into an alley I began to weave in and around trash cans and scurrying rats, letting myself be swallowed by the darkness of night. The alley smelled of week old rubbish and something foul, but I hoped the space was narrow enough for people not to be able to see my form hiding in the dark.

However, I was wrong.

They smelled my heat, like a predator smells their prey in the distance. At first it was only two who followed me with hollow eyes and maniacal laughs. I was ready to fight them, forgetting the pain from my back side and my broken fingers, but then another three appeared trapping me in the alley for good. Apparently that wasn't enough for life to show me how much I was hated. Other people who passed down the street also smelled me and came to take a look at what was going on, however when they saw that I was a male Omega, they laughed and encouraged the other Alphas, telling them that I deserved it.

One by one, they fell at my feet, blood gushing everywhere, their screams a silent treatment for my soul. There was so much rage that I was crying because of it or maybe the pain had gotten so bad that my body couldn't take it anymore. I kicked more faces that night than I could remember ever doing in my life and yet they still kept coming.

A big group of muscular Alphas made their appearance next and I knew I couldn't fight all of them at once. My pants were soaked with the natural lubricant my body was producing and I didn't dare to look at my hands or concentrate on the immense burning.

"Man, look at this fresh meat, waiting for us like a good pussy cat!"

"I don't think this is a good idea," one of them said.

"And why not, Thomas? Scared of finally fucking someone?"

They all laughed.

"We… we have special orders. We should hunt the 'The Wings of Freedom' not fuck Omegas in heat. I'll… I'll report you to Reiner if you hurt him."

"Hahaha! Shut the fuck up! What can that kid do to me? Nothing! And 'The Wings'? We're 'The Titans'. We're the fucking law around here and at the moment I don't give a shit about Rivaille and his gang. Y'all watch and learn on how I'm gonna make this bitch submit and suck my cock like the good slut he is."

Each one of them stunk worse than Jean, worse than the people I already beat up. I fell onto my knees and started vomiting. My eyes half opened and were unfocused and I saw blood coming out of my mouth. Just then the Alpha stopped coming closer.

"I- I think he's sick. Let's head back," Thomas tried again. Someone punched him in the jaw, silencing him.

I couldn't give up. I couldn't give them the satisfaction of winning. If I was going down, I was going down with dignity. I rose back to my feet, hyperventilating. The Alpha started walking toward me again and I regained my breath slightly.

"Touch me, you fucking motherfucker, and I'll destroy you!"

My voice was hoarse as if these were the first words I I had spoken that night and perhaps they would be my last. A painful hit to my gut made me fall and everything began spinning as I felt my head collide with the cold concrete. There was nothing left of me anymore. It was over, I was going under. A hand grabbed my neck and squeezed trying to cut off my breathing and the sound of a zipper was the only thing my ears could discern.

And somehow, in that moment, I smelled the ocean… so cold and majestically powerful. It was so peaceful in the deep waters. It was breaking apart my being, carrying the pieces away with it. For a monster like me, the waves were heaven. Wasn't that my dream, to see the ocean with Armin one day? Oh, the irony. I was going to die, but at least I was dying in the arms of the ocean.

The pressure miraculously disappeared. I wanted to take another breath of air so much, I wanted to feel the smell of the ocean over me and in me, again and again. There was the sound of something snapping that made me remember the sensation, the sound bones made when they were crushed under force.

Screams soon followed and when I finally opened my eyes, the bulkier man who had been assaulting me was trying to hide in a corner. Someone else, clearly smaller than him in height was asserting dominance over the area around the beaten bodies. Though, when I said dominance, it was actually an understatement. The angry pheromones the new Alpha was producing were catastrophic and suffocating. It was clear that he could beat someone just with the power of them alone.

It was in that moment when the tall Alpha realized that there was no escape for him.

"Ri-Rivaille! Don't kill me, don't…"

Just then I saw the other male who was on his feet unharmed some meters behind the pissed Alpha.

Thomas.

"Thomas, you fucking traitor!" It seemed that I wasn't the only one who spotted him.

A kick reduced everything to silence and the man that had tried to abuse me fell like a sack of potatoes.

From a young age, I knew that the true power of an Alpha could be measured on how much they had the power to remain calm and composed in front of an Omega in heat. That had been a very popular belief for decades. Everyone heard about it, even if it was never scientifically demonstrated. The mysterious Alpha ignored me completely, not even acknowledging my existence. He was powerful, superior in every way, and I could bet that he knew it as well. Somewhere deep down it hurt to know that even for that Alpha I wasn't anything more than dirt under his nail.

Thomas was another story though. It was clear that he lost in front of his instincts, eyeing me with blatant hunger in his eyes. When he stepped forward, I didn't have time to think of something that could get me somewhere safe because in the next second a fist- which surely wasn't mine- met Thomas's face, breaking his nose.

The short Alpha passed an order and I gave little thought on what he said to the other. All I could focus on was that voice.

It was cosmic.

Deep, smoky, and like pure velvet, ready to pass commands every hour of the day. It was one that demanded respect and held a tone that made me think of him possessing very remarkable, sly intelligence. He possessed a slow, almost lazy sounding accent. When he spoke again I heard it perfectly. French.

Thomas left, carrying with him the massive man who tried to hurt me and then the French Alpha turned his head and watched me from the shadows. He slowly made a "tch" in indignation or perhaps disgust and turned to leave.

I shouldn't have cared about the knot that had formed in my throat. What had I expected? The anger was now back full force. I didn't need anyone, even if my body was asking for it! I would live and pass the heat. And if I died, all I wanted was to die with self-respect. I felt like I was already fading, as if I were meant to be forgotten, erased from the world. I had been born a male Omega after all, an impossible survivor in an endless loop of life that should never be known.

The Alpha started walking, his muscular back getting further and further away with each step, taking with him the scent of the ocean. In the end I couldn't see the ocean but at least I had the memory of its smell. I was happy.

The pain had returned in full doses and I bit my lower lip hard, hoping that the Alpha would disappear soon. I wouldn't scream in front of him. Something wet touched my cheeks and I didn't realize that I had started crying until a quiet sob made its way out of my throat. I knew I needed to move to another spot but I couldn't make myself move even an inch.

There were no steps anymore and my body was beginning to turn cold. Maybe I was much closer to dying than I thought. The stars were sparkling in blurry motions... If only I could close my eyes faster.

Footsteps returned again but now they were coming toward me. Another Alpha who wanted to fuck me? I was more than ready to bite my tongue and end everything once and for all, but it seemed that the one who was coming predicted what I was going to do, so they hurried their steps.

The "tch" sound resonated like a melody through my ears once more and I opened my eyes. When did I close them? I raised my head again and he was there, in front of me. The French Alpha was back and I sobbed again, finally welcoming the darkness.

…

"Shh, you are safe now. Stop crying."

"I… i-it h-hurts. P-please, ma-make it stop."

"I will. But I need to treat your wounds first, until you can heal yourself. I want you to stand still. Can you do that for me?"

It was warm again. Who was talking to me? The voice was so beautiful and so calm and the touches on both my arms were gentle and sublime. And my ocean was there, the smell continuing to tease and torment me. It was my ocean, wasn't it? Of course it was. It was mine and I needed to feel it because I didn't know when it would disappear again. I begged it to stay the first time and it didn't.

"You begged who?"

Could this person read my mind or had I said the last sentence out loud?

"The o-ocean. To stay…"

…

Peace, warmness, and a weird content feeling settled over my body like a second skin delivering me toward blissful happiness. But soon enough the current of happiness became too hard to handle… I wasn't used to it after all. It was too much and not long after something in me started to feel insecure. The burning emptiness was still there scratching and shouting at me and the person who was currently playing with my hair wasn't doing anything to help me. Why? Did they want to make me happy and after playing with me, crush me like a bug?

The person shifted from above me, making me want to cry and open my eyes but my own mouth sighed instead, and my body refused to move. The pressure of his weight on me made me feel extraordinary safe, protected and loved. Was that an Omega thing that I didn't know about? Why wasn't it painful to feel him on my skin?

His hand moved from my hair and after some painful seconds, he placed it flat on my stomach massaging the area tenderly, taking my sigh as an indication of distress. Somewhere down the line, my legs had circled his waist but I didn't remember doing so, and then my arms were brought above my head. There were so many pieces of missing memories. It was very scary.

"You're such a beautiful idiot, brat."

It took me a minute to sort the oddly sweet words whispered from against my neck. I had a feeling I had heard that voice before but in that moment I couldn't place my finger on it. He had such a crazy, stunning accent.

The words that followed were in another language, mystical and incomprehensible and it wasn't until just then that my brain registered that the first sentence had been, in fact, in English.

…

He was always careful with his touches, not to linger too much, not to be rough or too intimate. At first it was pleasant, the essence of his touches transmitting friendly vibes- a caress on my forehead, a hand passing through my hair, massages- making all of me accept them without opposition. And then I wasn't afraid anymore and he had smelled it. The hugs came next and they were like a light in the dark, extinguishing my pain and stopping my tears. For the first time in my life I felt cared for to such an extent that I didn't know where I started and where I ended. My eyes just couldn't stay open and my other senses were what I had left to feel him all.

But then the burning disappeared and the emptiness was all that remained, killing me. It hurt and made any source of happiness disappear. He was hugging me naked but was completely calm and in control, spreading his scent all around me, building and rebuilding the big nest, kissing my skin and in return, letting me smell the spot on the neck where his Alpha smell was the strongest. But he never put his body too close to mine and I hated it… craved it, and desired it. I wanted him to put himself into me roughly, to finally fuck me so everything could come to a stop… the wetness, the wantonness, the pain. And yet he resisted it like it was nothing.

Soon the emptiness bought the burning back worse than ever and his comforting words and touches got no response anymore. When he got up from my nest, everything cried: my instincts, my being, and my body. He was leaving me. Was he finally sick of me?

"Shitty-eyes!" The Alpha's commanding voice was back. It wasn't the voice that he used with me. "Go and buy me all the Omega sex toys you can get."

Wait, what?

A muffed female voice could be heard between my quiet sobs and when I finally opened my eyes, his back greeted me but this time pale and naked. He was standing at the edge of the bed, talking to someone on the phone.

"Don't ask questions, you fuck-face. You have ten minutes, no more, no less."

I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer because I was so exhausted but I really wanted to see his face. Just two seconds, two seconds… yet they closed exactly as he turned his neck.

…

"Oh, God! Jesus almighty! I had a feeling your dick was damn big, but I didn't want to see it today. It reeks of heat here! Why...? Is that... is that an Omega on your bed?"

"Shut the fuck up already, you psycho! Scare him and I'm going to shove these up your ass in a very dry, painful way."

"No worries, I'll relax my muscles."

A slap.

"Ouch! You damn sadistic midget!"

Was that a woman?

"So, can I, can I, boss? Can I make an experimental touch? It's been a long time since I touched an Omega in heat and this one is obviously very strong by the…"

A powerful growl erupted in the room making me flinch. Was it my fault? I didn't want…I didn't. Instinctively, I hugged myself into a ball and hid my head. He was there in an instant, nearly touching me everywhere.

"Get out!"

I thought he was talking to me when the woman responded quietly instead.

"I am sorry. I really am. I won't touch what's yours. I swear."

It was quiet for a long time before the Alpha made me relax and uncurl myself from the bad position.

The woman talked again.

"From the looks of it, he took something that eliminated his unique smell. But even so there's still the overwhelming heat scent and the pheromones. Did you… did you mate him?"

"No."

"Do you plan to?"

I didn't like her.

"No."

"How can you resist? I've never smelled something so overwhelming before! You're… you're still yourself!"

I wanted her gone. If she hadn't been a Beta I would have probably attacked her by now.

The Alpha didn't respond, too preoccupied with massaging my scalp and drying my tears.

"He's very cute though," she whispered cautious not to make him angry.

"I know."

His voice was surprisingly soft, his French accent highlighting every word.

"Just take good care of him, okay? I'll find my way out."

The relief that flooded me after she was gone made me shiver.

…

There wasn't just the smell of the ocean. It was so well hidden, like a small treasure. He carried a sandalwood odor which could be described as the most refreshing smell someone's nose could ever perceive. If I thought that the ocean was heaven, my new discovery was a godsend.

I wish I had asked someone before on what I truly smelt like.

…

Someone was crying.

It was low but a little uncomfortable, my Omega instincts raising its head and whining in distress. They were pushing me to get up and help the person. It was in my nature to want the best for everyone after all, but I felt so good, so light headed and so satisfied. It was hard to rip myself away from that.

When I opened my eyes it was bright. A window was open, making the warm, morning air ravish my face. A clock was ticking annoyingly somewhere in the room and it really got my attention since it sounded kind of special, like small bells tolling by a gracious hand.

I tried to move and for the first time in what seemed like forever I found out that I could, but something was holding me back. I gasped in shock when I saw that I was wrapped very tightly in blankets. I was practically in a cocoon.

When I finally got up and stood over the edge of the bed I started checking myself out. Shockingly my hair was faintly wet, meaning I had been bathed and I was also wearing clothes… even socks. The blue bunnies on them were kind of cute and I wanted to giggle and move my toes. Was I drunk or something? What was wrong with me?

From the looks of it I was in a large bedroom and it didn't resemble a hotel room at all. The cleanness of the room was easily overwhelming and it made my head dizzy for a few seconds. Was there a person on this planet that could make a room so clean?

The crying that woke me had actually come from a television situated in the corner. A drama was playing and from the looks of it, the Omega heroine had been cheated on. Whoever left the television on did a great job of killing the silence.

Even fully awake, it was hard to sort my memories out and to turn them over in my head. Why was I here in the first place?

'You're such a beautiful idiot, brat.'

I got so fast to my feet that in the immediate second I was face flat on the floor. It was clean and smelled of bleach.

There was the heat and all those Alphas and … oh, God! Him! My memories were fuzzy but the smell of the ocean was still fresh.

No, no, no! I had let an Alpha take advantage of me, I let 'something' I swore I was going to destroy touch me. Where did he touch me? Did he mark me? Rape me?

I ran toward the first door I saw, not stopping until I was touching the sink and sought at my own reflection in the mirror. In a flash, my T-shirt touched the spotless, white marble and my hands were feeling up my neck.

I was so relieved to see no mark there, but soon the feeling transformed into confusion. There was nothing...not even a scratch or a bruise. The skin was flawless, on my neck, on my chest and even on my arms- arms and fingers which I remember perfectly what awful state I had reduced them to. I frowned.

'I… i-it h-hurts. P-please, ma-make it stop.'

'I will. But I need to treat your wounds first, until you can heal yourself. I want you to stand still. Can you do that for me?'

I moved my fingers and they didn't hurt at all. Actually there was no pain anywhere, no burning or emptiness or even soreness. And more importantly… I was alive. When did I start to find life so precious?

My skin burned where I touched it and soon I saw the healthy glow that didn't exist there before. The dark turquoise eyes that I adorned before now held a new bright blue-green light. It was frightening me that I was totally changed. That wasn't me.

I rubbed my neck harshly trying to see if some make-up had been applied but all I got in the end was a red neck and further uncertainty.

He was an Alpha… I was so sure, so positively sure. I was there when he beat the shit out of that group that had been two times his size. I felt his angry pheromones on my skin and had bathed in his Alpha musk for hours. I had enjoyed his touches when the full heat had hit.

That thought was terrifying because I didn't want to believe it.

There was no way that he simply helped me- a stranger, a male Omega in heat, without marking me and without even fucking me. Alphas were monsters. There was no way he was any different! I refused to believe it!

'Shitty-eyes! Go and buy me all the Omega sex toys you can get.'

'Did you… did you mate him?'

'No.'

'Do you plan to?'

'No.'

'How can you resist?'

Did he really resist? All this time? The record of an Alpha enduring the need to satisfy an Omega in heat, pushed in their hold, didn't bypass two hours. Only the most powerful Alpha resisted up to two hours. My heat lasted how long…Four or five days? But maybe because of the pill, it might have been longer. I didn't know for sure. There was also no soreness in my lower region that would have indicated the presence of being knotted.

Usually an Alpha wouldn't touch anyone sexually without putting a mark on their prey first. It was a basic instinct to claim first and take after. If they didn't press the claim, their body would stop communicating, either ending the erection or forcing the Alpha in a deep rut that would force the placement of the mark.

I still refused to believe it.

I got dressed and returned to the bedroom, my heart pounding and feeling out of breath. My cocoon of blankets was the single mess that stood out in the overall tidiness of the room. Instinctively I rushed to arrange it and after everything was in order I started to relax my muscles.

Was this house the property of the French Alpha? And come to think of it, where was he? Was I even ready to meet him face to face, to see the face of my benefactor? I didn't know how to react. Should I be angry that he saved me? I tried to put the puzzle of memories back piece by piece to find out how it was possible for him not to have fucked me like the worthless Omega I was in the eyes of society. I couldn't find an explanation. Should I be grateful?

I folded my arms and glanced up sullenly at the ceiling. Maybe I could try finding my way out without meeting him, disappear without a trace. I wonder what Mikasa would say when she would be forced to sniff me for the first time after my heat.

Curiosity got the better of me so I inhaled deeply, trying to immerse myself in the musky, roughness of an Alpha with his unique ocean scent that had surely remained on me after he left. After a minute, I started blinking rapidly and tried again, this time smelling the room.

There was nothing in the air except for the smell of bleach. It was like he had not been touching me or even standing in the room at all. My mind spun with a hundred thoughts, I was already so tired of all of the confusion. Clenching my fist, I grit my teeth in irritation and bolted from the room into a small hall.

The house was perfect in every possible way. It wasn't too big or too small and every room was ultra clean and full of expensive objects. At the end of the tour, I came to the conclusion that there was no one else in the house except for me. The rendered awareness made my eyes water. I wasn't wanted there.

I entered what was supposed to be the kitchen and the sign left me stunned. He wasn't in the room, but on the kitchen table in all its full glory was what could be described as the best and largest breakfast I'd ever seen in my entire life. It was glorious. I could choose whatever my heart desired, from tea to coffee, to what type of juice I wanted. The food was breathtaking… there was bacon, eggs, and something that looked like mushrooms, pizza, caviar, lobster, steak and even curry. But who in the world would eat pizza, mushrooms or curry for breakfast?

The rest of the dishes looked unfamiliar and foreign and honestly they looked so expensive that I was scared of even touching them for an inspection. Even the damn fruits looked expensive. Looking more carefully I spotted something at the end of the table, where the desserts were placed, that made me want to bang my head against the wall. Was that a fucking cupcake drenched in gold? Because holy mother of cupcakes, it looked like it! Wait, could you eat gold? If the cupcake wasn't containing gold then surely the beautiful sculpture of a majestic bird situated near it had more gold on it that my family could buy in their life span. It was grandiose and I was surely going to stay far away from it.

I was hungry and since no one was here, I took it as a sign that everything was for me. I got a chair and sat as far as I could from the dessert corner. Was this some kind of a test? To see if I was going to eat the cupcake and steal the bird, because I could care less of a stupid bird even if it had gold on it. All I wanted was respect and some quiet in my life. I wasn't looking to become rich. Money would bring just pain and I had enough of that for a lifetime.

After giving it some thought, I chose orange juice, one egg, and some bacon. My usual breakfast, even if the taste was telling me another story. I had never put something so good in my mouth before. I ate in silence and after I finished and washed the cup and the plate, I saw something in the middle of the table. It was my wallet, the single thing that I had had in my pocket.

I smiled. It was dirty, most of it having dried blood on it, but the Alpha had been kind enough not to throw it away or buy me another. That gesture left me immediately disgruntled.

Were the moments when I called all of them monsters over and over again a mistake? Was my dream of hating them all my life a lie? Could I regret every doubt I had, regret everything I thought of Alphas before? When I couldn't dream anymore, what was my purpose? When I had been lied to so much, what was the possibility of finding the truth? When you have found peace, was it now the time to reflect on everything that had once been wrong? I had just met my fate…shall I live up to that fate, knowing the sorrow and pain that lies ahead?

There was something else near my wallet, a piece of paper and some money. With shaky hands I grabbed the paper.

'If you want to get a taxi…'

'If you want…'. There was no command there. He didn't want me gone. It made my soul ache even when unstoppable warmth spilled into my veins like the sweetest intoxication. Not all of them were monsters.

I left the money there, grabbed the paper and put it in my back pocket and walked toward the front door. New shoes, my size, were waiting for me near it. When I finally got outside I ran without looking back.

…

It took me two hours to reach my house. I was cold and thirsty by then.

Miraculously, dad was home. I closed the front door silently, not making a noise. I was scared of how dad would react, if he would hit me and tell me that he didn't want me anymore or just kick me out.

He was sitting in the living room on the couch with his head low. The house was ravished, furniture broken, clothes all over the floor and pieces of china everywhere. When I approached, he raised his head, eyes red from crying and face pale devoid of life. When he saw me, his eyes widened.

"Eren…"

I had never seen him move so fast in my life. He came toward me and before I could step back, he grabbed me into the tightest hug I'd ever experienced.

"My son! My son is alive! Thank you, God. Thank you!"

I stood there gaping like a fish, until I heard steps and noticed Mikasa running down the stairs to see what was going on. She saw me and started shedding tears. It was wrong, Mikasa never cried.

Dad let me go and quickly eyed me up and down in search of something before his eyes narrowed. Mikasa came to me and it was her turn to hug me while whimpering on my shoulder. I patted her back and rubbed my face in her neck. Her forest smell didn't feel as safe as it did before. The ocean was all I could think of.

"Eren, when Jean and Marco came and told us… I…I…"

She started crying again.

"It's okay, Mikasa. I'm okay. How many days had it been?"

"Fourteen days."

Two weeks. I felt myself choking on my own words, my brain paralysed.

When she finally let me go, I observed that her hair was shorter and an ugly bruise was marring her cheek.

"Why did you cut your hair?"

"Show me your neck!"

Before I could answer Mikasa grabbed my hair, violently exposing my neck. I faltered slightly, the pain shooting something unpleasant in me, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. But before I could blink she inspected me and even put her nose along my neck and sniffed.

"What the fuck, Mikasa?" I yelled, pushing out of her grip and taking two steps back.

Her face was unreadable.

"Eren, I want you to tell me what happened." Dad's voice vibrated in the room, even if his tone was normal. He moved and was staying near the center of the room, not looking at me in the eye.

I had been so close to stepping on a china cup that I didn't hear what dad was saying.

"How did you do it, Eren?"

That woke me up.

"Do what?"

"Surviving without an Alpha."

I gulped down nervously.

"I didn't."

"Please, don't lie."

"I'm not! I… that night I got cornered by so many people I lost count and I didn't… I didn't let anyone touch me. And then this stupid, big group showed up and I thought… that it was the end. I couldn't fight them all. I know that it sounds cliché but… I was saved. And he took care of me and obviously didn't mate with me and…"

My Alpha sister put her hands around my shoulders and shook me hard. What was with her today?

"Eren, what are you saying? You needed an Alpha's pheromones on your body to live! There is nothing on your skin not even your scent. Nothing!"

I shot her a disdainful glare and hissed. "Do you think I don't know that? I can't explain how he did it but he kind of just erased his scent."

"Did you hit your head? Are you hallucinating?"

"Stop it, Mikasa! Stop it!"

"Eren…" Dad's voice was low. "You do realize that there is no Alpha who can resist in front of an Omega in heat, right? No one is strong enough to completely fight their own instincts."

"He is! He did it! That's all that matters! He isn't an asshole who thinks that male Omegas are just holes to fuck. He helped a complete stranger when he could have just left me there for other Alphas to find and rape me. I had been given another chance and I am glad for it. So I don't care If you believe me or not. I could care less."

"How much do you remember?"

Now dad was watching me in the eyes.

"Almost everything when the heat was mild. When it started to get worse he bought Omega toys for me. I don't remember anything after that."

I walked past them. I wanted to get to my room, build a nest and stay there. I didn't care enough to ask why our house was in chaos.

"Eren?"

"What?"

"What's his name?"

"I don't know…"

But I knew. His name was Rivaille.

…

After I finished building I sat down and put my naked skin on everything, scenting. I didn't felt content anymore. I was depressed.

The paper was a great weight in my hand. I opened it and looked in awe at the messy writing. I longed to memorize every aspect of the words from the noble form the "I" took at the beginning to the insane look "x" got at the end. Somehow it made me laugh.

When I started thinking again, I tried to carve into my soul the fact that I would never see him again. My life would always remain intact and certain, mirroring a long-forgotten, withered flower. He would forever be just a touch that crossed… an enigma. A lot of stories start with two strangers but much more end with none.

…

It wasn't until morning that I saw that there was something else written on the back.

'Be yourself, be happy, be proud. You are too special to die.'

The paper smelled of sandalwood.

…

"I just wanted to say thank you."

"Don't mention it, Eren. You can't imagine how glad I am that you are fine. When you ran away from me like that I thought my heart really stopped."

"Oh, look who it is, Connie! The Yeager princess. You took your sweet time, motherfucker!"

I was worried for nothing. They didn't treat me any different after all.

"Stop it, Jean."

"Jean, Connie, I just wanted to say…"

"Yeager, don't force yourself! Shut up before you start puking feelings."

"You are welcome, Eren. You can buy me and Sasha some pizza and..."

I couldn't hear what Connie said, being too busy breaking Jean's nose again. Well at least I tried to be nice at first. Later, I would call that a development.

…

"I have a theory, Eren."

"Shoot."

"I think he might be 'humanity's strongest Alpha'."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

I just rolled my eyes and scoffed, fixing my face with a scowl to hide the nerves coursing their way through my body. Armin had kept pestering me for three days now with questions and theories but that wasn't what made me feel uncomfortable.

"Armin, I wanted to ask you something."

'…from the moment I saw you, since I couldn't ask my sister or father...I was too nervous to do it at first because I knew that you'd realize what's going on, so I kept quiet. But now I can feel that you already were able to read everything.' remained unsaid.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever… heard of the name Rivaille?" I asked him spotting a group of Omega girls in the distance who were whispering and looking over at me. Probably talking about me going into heat in public.

"Eren…"

"I mean, I heard dad talking about someone named that at dinner." Nice lie, Eren. Congratulations. You fucking messed up.

Armin was wringing his hands together nervously. He always did that when he was hiding something.

"Please, Armin. Your dad is a cop. You should know something."

"You shouldn't, Eren. Rivaille is dangerous. Please, don't make me say it. We can get in trouble."

"Okay. I'm sorry. Forget that I asked."

He probably smelt my distress because he bit his lip and came closer so he could whisper in my ear.

"Rivaille is the leader of 'The Wings of Freedom'."

Wings…

'We… we have special orders. We should hunt the 'The Wings of Freedom' not fuck Omegas.'

"Eren, do you know who 'The Titans' are?"

Armin looked panicked, eyes wide but sparkling with a dark flame.

'And 'The Wings'? We're 'The Titans'. We're the fucking law around here and at the moment I don't give a shit about Rivaille and his gang.

"N-no."

"It's a group," Armin was looking around checking to see if someone could hear him, "the biggest gang in the city. The real mafia. They sell drugs and organs, control the prostitution, and rape or kill people. All the good stuff. But what bites them hard is that the group may have power but it's too large and they aren't smart enough. At one point in time they really pissed someone off. An Alpha. Someone named Rivaille."

I was stunned. I wanted Armin to shut up but at the same time I wanted him to continue. He did.

"No one really knows what the story is except for the ones involved, but to put it simply, they say that Rivaille got all his friends together, made a new gang and called it 'The Wings of Freedom'. They don't deal with the things 'The Titans' do, but their central point is selling guns on the black market, so they're not really clean themselves." Armin paused.

"Their group is much smaller, but faster and smarter and all they want is to destroy 'The Titans' at all costs but it's not that easy. 'The Titans' have bases all over the country, not just in the city and no one really knows who their leader is. Many people call the creation of 'The Wings' the best counter-attack made against them and the others who suffered because of 'The Titans' see 'The Wings' as their salvation."

'Ri-Rivaille! Don't kill me, don't…'

"When 'The Wings' needed to spread across the country as well, for unknown reasons, Rivaille refused to be the boss for all the new bases that were in making so he started to share his leadership with two other people. But you know what I think? I think that this is just a very smart strategy in a successful attempt of tricking the enemy. Rivaille is and will remain the actual boss. The rest is a façade.

"On that night, when your heat started, 'The Titans' hit the jackpot on where an important transaction of 'The Wings' was taking place. It was, of course, a very nicely planned trap. 'The Titans' fell for it but on the way towards the meet-up they got distracted by something. An Omega in heat."

I looked at the ground, avoiding looking at Armin's gaze.

"I think you know what happened then. Please, Eren, promise me that you will never go searching for him. Imagine if 'The Titans' would find out that he helped you during your heat, imagine what they could do to you or your family to get to him. I think he erased his scent from your skin for a reason."

"Armin, calm down."

"I don't want to lose you, Eren, and I already did once. You're my best friend."

In the end there had been no promises just hugs.

…

Mikasa was older than me by two years and since we started high school, she had always waited for me near the gates so we could go home together- except for Monday and Friday when she had martial arts training. Today was Thursday and she wasn't there. Armin told me that some people had saw her entering a very sleek black car with a very angry expression on her face.

I never asked. It wasn't my business even if I had a feeling of what she was trying to do.

That night Rivaille's note disappeared from the place I had carefully hid it. I never found it again.

…

In the end, I couldn't stay away.

"I just need to know where to find him."

I wanted to thank him so bad that it hurt.

"Kid, you are young as fuck! You better step back if you know what's best for you."

It was impossible for someone not to sceptically announce around that there was a lunatic teenager looking for Rivaille in the middle of the night, asking strangers in dark alleys and trying to pay for information.

I felt guilty. I couldn't physically or mentally give him up.

Maybe he didn't want me; maybe he didn't want to see me. These kinds of thoughts crossed my mind during the moments when I was almost asleep, as the last thing on my mind. I was afraid of closing my eyes and dreaming of his touch again. But I wanted to hear him say it and then maybe I could back off. In the meantime all that was left of me was the desire to search.

I never expected that just after two nights a miracle happened. A beautiful, petite Omega woman approached me when I left the house in the middle of the night again. She was pretty and for a second, words like 'trap' and 'Titans' resonated in my mind. But when she raised her wrist showing me her tattoo all my doubts disappeared. It was two pairs of overlapping wings. The wings of freedom.

"Wow! So it's true! You are indeed very, very cute. Hello, Eren. I am Petra. The leader sent me."

And there in her hand was another folded piece of paper. With shaking hands I took it from her but I didn't have the power to open it just yet.

"Thank you so much." I knew that I had tears in my eyes, but I gave her a grateful smile, hoping that she would understand.

Petra watched me in wonder for a few seconds, like she couldn't comprehend what was really happening. When she finally smiled back, I hugged her. After ruffling my hair and laughing at my expression, she left and I ran back into the house nearly holding my breath. And when I closed the door to my room, I started to breathe again.

I had expected the worst, to see something negative written on the paper but there were only two sentences and a phone number.

'Stop being a brat and just go to sleep. If you need something just text.'

I quickly took my phone and started typing out a message.

'I just wanted to thank you…'

* * *

**A.N**: 30 pages and this is just the prologue! Nothing important in this chapter. Holy shit!

**Important note!**

At first I didn't know if I should add this at the beginning of the chapter or at the end but after some diligent thinking I decided that the latter option is the best. This note is VERY important so read it carefully before you decide to spam me with messages like: "Stupid, it's Levi not Rivaille!111!" because of course I will laugh and not respond!

I know perfectly well that officially it is "Levi", pronounced in the English way "Leev-eye" and in this A.U. I can guarantee you that Levi is his actual name. As you already can guess from what you read so far Levi is known as Rivaille in 'The Wings of Freedom' gang and not with his real name. Now you are going to ask, isn't Levi and Rivaille pronounced ALMOST the same in English? Won't people be able to tell that Rivaille is actually Levi?

Well here comes the amazing part! My story doesn't take place in an English speaking country. What does this have to do with anything? The only language (as far as my hours of research stretched) where "Levi" is pronounced as "Leev-eye" is English.

I won't lie. I finished the anime last week and I read the manga two days ago so maybe for some of you it does seem like I am a chick with no life, typing non-sense. But I live in the East-Central Europe and here everyone says "Le-vi" or "Le-vii" not "Leev-eye". I didn't even know that I was saying it wrong until yesterday. It was mind blowing and after that SURPRISE! I found that "Leev-eye" is actually just the English pronunciation and I wasn't saying it wrong after all! In all the other languages like German, French, Hebrew, Swedish, Turkish, etc. it's pronounced as "Le-vi" or "Le-vii".

So since this story isn't taking place in an English speaking country it is normal to be "Le-vi" or "Le-vii", but as a reader you can read it in what way you prefer.

For "Rivaille" the name is pronounced "Ri-va-i" like how the French say "Versailles" ("Ver-sa-i"). "Rivaille" is indeed a real name and people were and are named like this even today.

At the beginning of the manga many people assumed that Rivaille was the Corporal's actual name since the manga seems to take place in Germany/Western Europe, where a French name wouldn't be unheard of.

Now, the mangaka himself has stated that Levi is named after a boy from Jesus Camp. This happens to be an American documentary film, where the pronunciation of the name is "Leev-eye". This is also where the mangaka based the pronunciation of "Levi" on.

The only problem is that his manga takes place in an area where the name would be pronounced as "Le-vi (i)"! Big failure, isn't it?

So to make things short, in other languages "Levi" is pronounced differently from the English way and it doesn't resemble "Rivaille" in the slightest. Capiche?

And for the last time I will repeat that Levi is the official name and I will use it. As much as I wanted to use Rivaille, because of my sweet French fetish (Don't look at me that way, hun, hearing French is hot as damn!) I will stick to Levi.

About the origin and the roots of the characters, I won't spoiler you very much but I will have you know that Levi is just half French. Is he French-American, French-Japanese, French-Hebrew, French-German? Who knows? Read the next chapters and maybe you will find out. ^^

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Too special to die**_

* * *

_**Couple:**_** Levi Ackerman x Eren Yeager (Riren, Ereri)**

* * *

**Warnings for this story**: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Levi, Omega Eren, discrimination, usage of sexual toys, caretaking, masturbating, blow jobs, hand jobs, biting, back-scratching, hair-pulling, licking, slapping, knotting, sucking, mating cycles/in heat, self-lubrication, Sexual Tension, first time, loss of virginity, multiple orgasms, throw-me-against-the-wall-and-fuck-me-senseless sex (and normal-as-they-can-be sex scenes), possessiveness, jealousy, self-worth issues, 'fuck-you-for-making-me-fall-on-my-knees-for-your-manliness', BDSM elements, protective Levi, 'let-me-hear-you', angst, watching from afar, BAMF! Eren, Extra BAMF! Levi, Transexual Hange, fingers as well as lips fetish, and of course raw, carnal, and animalistic Levi. Oh, and the fluff! And the unexpected kisses and sweet touches.

Let's not forget **THE PLOT** and the **SLOW BUILD**. Sorry and not so sorry? Hahaha!

More warnings will be added later.

**Rated M for explicit sexual content, adult language, graphic depictions of violence.**

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After months of being a little shit… *coughs* I mean… after months of reading military jokes and watching porn, I finally rise again! RIIIISEEEEEE LIKE A PHOENIX! *fireworks in the distance*

Anyway, dudes and girls, today I feel fresh and amazing, so I am gonna tell you the best joke ever: "How can you make your lover scream for an hour after sex? Wipe your dick on the curtains." Imagine Eren doing this to piss Levi off. GG, WP, EASY!

On a serious note, I need to apologize to everyone about the late update. Someone asked me in a review if I am dead and if I am "the type that makes long chapters but slow updates, short chapters but fast updates, or "I-update-whenever-I-can"?" (Love you too, Glasses!) As I mentioned to another reader who private messaged me throwing at me, all of the sudden, soooo many lovely words (Love you too, KingTayter!), I made my mind long time ago to finish this story and I will. It's my first story and well... I am not trying to find excuses but as for why I am not posting regularly but: I'm in my last year of high school, my family problems are very overwhelming, I don't have enough time, sometimes I have writer blocks, I am that chick who plays League of Legends too much, I am scared that I might disappoint someone and I am a very indecisive person, I tend to go and read and change things in a chapter over and over and I'm still not happy with it. When an idea comes I absolutely love it but when I write it down I start to hate it, until my hate turns into disgust. It seems I can't get focused enough on the fact that I need to love my creations. Maybe because I am new to this, but I am trying my best.

So yeah… I am that type who makes extremely long chapters, but slow updates because she can't "update-whenever-she-wants".

I am sorry. Wish I could do more for you guys, because you left me breathless with your fabulous appreciation. Thank you and I love you all so much!

So bare with me, babies!

Also, gonna create a Tumblr account soon. Wow! Development!

**EDIT: **I DID IT! If someone is interested I track the tag **Fic: TSTD.** My blog is **themeekmaiden. tumblr. com **(without spaces).

Enjoy!

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_**Chapter 1**_

'_There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.'_

I thought that fighting for what I wanted to protect could transform me into something special, even if the consequences of not submitting like a real Omega might have been, in the end, far greater than anything I expected.

There was something- a single truth I dared not to think about in my moments of revolt. A fight would always bring to the surface a cruel reality, and with it the knowledge of the thing I lacked the most: control. It was the sole reason I felt frightened in the middle of the night when my mating instincts sharked me up and I had no power over them. The only reason that I was afraid of admitting that I was in love with someone my mind didn't have a face to picture with, the tool that would carry, with no mercy, my silent fall.

Years passed. Nothing much had changed. But then, unexpectedly, it had.

"How's college, Eren?"

Armin tried to look composed while his small foot was repetitively tapping or making short jabs under the table.

I missed the constant logical presence of his being in my life; the love and the calmness which he always surrounded my short tempered character with.

"It's very good actually. Bertholdt is my new roommate." I said softly raising the cup and slowly sipping some hot coffee, trying not to burn my tongue in the process. "Hmm, I still can't believe that one more year and college will be over." My voice remained quiet, but balanced, and in spite of the loud noise evoked by the rest of the people from the coffee shop it seemed that Armin heard me. He smiled in his unique way, raising just one corner of his mouth.

I continued.

"After this year I don't want to return home. I want to move."

Armin blinked slowly, watching me intensely. Even as time passed, his eyes were still big, the same infinite shade of blue, the same smart and noble sparkle.

"You mean finding an apartment on your own?"

"No, Armin. Moving out of this town. Another city."

For a second Armin looked panicked, but I started talking again before he could say something.

"Maybe we can rent an apartment together. I want to see you more anyways, and I hate talking to you just on Skype and on the phone. Let's stick together like in the old days. If you hate the thought of moving to a foreign place we can just try the town where your college is at the moment or…"

"Who are you running from? This is so unlike you."

I bite my lip frowning.

'Stop reading me, dammit!'

"Family."

"It's worse now?"

"Dad's been receiving threatening letters for a month now. Talking with him is useless as always. I spied on him twice. Found nothing. He owes someone something, and if he doesn't pay on time…"

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

"… They'll just kill him or take stuff from the house. The problem is that we don't have valuable things."

Armin grabbed my hand realization striking him with lightning speed.

"Except you. They can make a good amount of money if they sell a male Omega."

"Yeah."

I grabbed the phone with the other hand.

"How can you be so nonchalant? What about Mikasa? She can't…"

"Would you stop mentioning her if I told you that you were right when you told me that she might be doing illegal things?"

He reacted how I expected he would. Betrayal. Sadness.

"No…"

Seeing Armin at a loss of words was a heartbreaking experience.

"I tried! I fucking tried, Armin! Every time I visit home and I get a chance to see her, she's either full of new scars or bruises. And guess what? Dad knows about it. I am so sick of trying to talk to them! I get treated like a fucking pet all the time! So I'm gonna let them be. I don't want to be part of their shit!"

I was scared.

Armin's hand remained on mine. I felt him start shaking like a leaf while blood pumped in my veins at an alarming speed.

"Eren, you always fought for every single thing that was important to you. What changed now? To leave your family like this is stupid. You are a fighter and in this moment you are acting completely immature. We can find another way, a way to save them both and keep you safe. "

"Immature? How much do you think dad can resist the temptation of finally selling his useless Omega son and getting rid of all the debts that are bothering him? How much until I get a phone call that announces the death of my stupid sister?"

My phone buzzed again.

"You can choose. If you think that this depression is eating you all up without a chance of escaping, you can come with me now! Not after your year is finished."

"What? I am not depressed. I can't yet, Armin. I'm going to finish college. I promised."

"To whom? To… to him?"

I looked down at my hand that clutched the old phone like there was no tomorrow. I didn't need to check and see who messaged me. Even after seven years, that person still cared, faithfully sending a text or two every morning, but never calling, never showing his face or making his physical presence known. All these years my being got glued with determination to a number without a name in my phone. Maybe that one year was just an excuse. Maybe I didn't want to finish college so badly. I just wanted one more year because I was hoping that he would finally want to see me. Everything was about him. Rivaille.

It took Armin some time to accept the fact that there was nothing between me and Rivaille, just some meaningless words typed in the morning.

The messages were quite short.

'My tea tasted weird this morning… Still trying to find the reason.'

'Are you sure you really don't have any problems?'

Out of any men I could have stumbled upon on the night that my first heat peaked, I had been chosen by the noblest of them all.

"Did you ask him? Is Mikasa working for him or…?"

I was such a coward. Just a text, a single question and I could find out.

It was my goal to show Rivaille how strong I was, that I could gain my independence and stand on my own without someone protecting my back from afar. Asking him about Mikasa would have been like asking for a favour. I didn't want to feel like I was abusing his kindness. Wasn't I a selfish bastard, putting the life of my sister in danger because I was scared and too stubborn to ask a simple question?

"I don't think he would permit it. He's not like that!"

"Eren, if Mikasa is not doing things for him then the only possibility is that she is working for..."

'The Titans'. Years passed in a fuzzy blur, with the rough edges of the underground mafia changing as well. The 'Wings of Freedom' win had been imminent and expected, but even after the extermination, the roots of 'The Titans' remained. It was a matter of time until they would have regrouped to strike.

Mikasa… working with 'The Titans'…

"Armin," When had been there a turning back for me? "You're right. This is family. I should fight for it. I never thought that she could do that to us. But it makes sense… it really does…"

I needed to fight again, this time not for me, but for what I held dear.

"If I can't ask to find the truth, then I can very easily see it with my own eyes. I did the same with dad. I can do it with Mikasa too even if it will be harder. I'll spy on her and find the truth. If dad's collectors come to take me I will fight them all."

"Let me come with you."

Armin's eyes changed their colour when he was about to cry, from a clean blue to a very turbid, dark blue.

"No. Stay back!"

"W-why? It's because I am weak? Because I'm a burden?"

"You are one of the strongest people I have met in my life. You, unlike me, have a future in front of you. I can risk myself, but I can't risk you as well. Don't cry. I love you like the brother I never had. I'll always come back for you because you are everything I have left."

"I love you too! Don't do it! We can think of something else… we can…"

"Armin, calm down." I wiped the tears from his cheeks gently. "Trust me! I might not have a lot of strength in my body, but I'm very nimble. I can do it without them even realizing that I'm there."

Stopping him from crying after he started was one of the hardest things to do. When Armin lost his composure it was the only time when he left his rationality behind, the only time when his feelings took over, and it transformed him into a huge mess.

After half an hour of comforting words he was drinking his coffee in silence. I took a moment to answer to the texts I received.

'You are always worrying about me. Thank you. Sorry about your tea. I am okay. No problems at all. I am having fun. I already know that this last year is going to be the best.'

Putting the phone back on the table I smiled at Armin who was watching me, calculating once again, but this time with puffy eyes and red cheeks.

We both flinched when my phone vibrated. It wasn't a message this time. Someone was calling and for a second, I imagined that it was Rivaille, calling me for the first time, that he finally had something to say, that I wasn't just a morning routine any more. But life never played nicely with me.

When I answered, Mikasa's voice resonated in my ears, too cold and too indifferent and I knew that my life would never be the same.

"Dad's dead."

Indeed the best year.

It wasn't worth fighting to be courageous anymore when in fact 'courageous' was just another word for being afraid.

…

The coffin invited me to open its lid. I didn't; and every day since then I wondered what would have happened if I had had the courage to do it. Police said that dad had been working with a branch that belonged to The Titans for years. Maybe he had started before I was even born. That's why he always disappeared for months. Apparently he was the one making experiments on people, torturing and killing them in extremely inhumane ways. He had been obsessed, taking money from left and right and even from the house to conduct more experiments when The Titans stopped funding him. I was happy that at least his end wasn't gentle. Armin and I had buried just a head. After dad was declared dead, Mikasa disappeared leaving behind just a note, saying that she would do it for me. No one knew what exactly.

Soon after, Armin returned to college. I was alone when my answer came. If I opened the lid, dad's ghost wouldn't have dragged me down with him because I was already falling. My family had been deteriorating from the inside for years. I didn't try enough to save anyone; it had always been my fault. Everything I did was wrong and in the end that coffin wouldn't just belong to him, but to the two of us, to me as well.

But would anyone open the lid to let me breath and feel for the last time? Don't lie to yourself, Eren! No one would ever visit your grave or go to your funeral.

That was the truth and I always knew it by heart.

….

Now I could smell the depression. A normal human could have done it, end the relationship with life, but I couldn't. Armin worked so hard to make it function. Who was I to put a stop to it? A normal human would have got up from that filthy bed, would have gone to shower, eat and drink something. I couldn't…

I wanted to be able to do ordinary things again, to laugh, to have the power to raise my fist in front of my heart and swear to my pride, like I once did, that nothing would put Eren Yeager down, that I would remain invincible like none of the other Omegas had ever been.

Armin called me almost every hour. I answered him most of the time, but all our conversations constituted in me crying and him whispering back comforting words. Every day he reminded me that I was always welcomed in his apartment.

I had expected Rivaille to end our form of communication, after all my dad worked with 'The Titans'. But I was so wrong. He was messaging more than once per day now. I read them all. Never answered.

I hated that I was a coward, that I had to pity myself and cry first so I could fall asleep without dreaming something that I would never have. Year after year, in the bitterness of winter or the sweetness of spring I always dreamt of him. Every single night had been a challenge and a victory seeing a ghost which my Omega mind created, by my side, so perfect, so surreal. But when I woke up, I would lose my grip on him and he would slip away. In the end all I could do after was stumble through loneliness with numb senses grasping the phone to my chest. He was like a desired sickness, always in my thoughts, a pale, beautiful person, with muscular body, strong arms. I was hunted. I was prey. I couldn't have a dream about him now. I didn't want to.

Rivaille was a true soldier, he ruined his entire life, future, even humanity to create good, in his own special way. To annihilate the part of the world that was rotten. He almost succeeded. I was proud of him, of what he could do. I wasn't pathetic and I wouldn't put all the guilt on Rivaille. He was innocent, it wasn't his fault. Dad decided his own destiny in the same way that every other person on the planet could.

In the end, I didn't have to ask about Mikasa.

I wasn't scared of what could happen to me physically and I hadn't been mentally either until the moment when I realized, in the silence of the room, that I was already so deep in love with Rivaille. I couldn't negate it any longer. The realization made me cry harder. Rivaille, so sweet and gentle, who made me laugh some mornings until I couldn't breathe with his stupid jokes, who gave me tips on how to cook and even typed the long names of 'some proper' (by his definition) cleaning products. The single Alpha I ever managed to love, the single one I could see myself in a future with, was there, in a world where death passed near him every second of the day. If he died, in that moment, I would have never known. He had distanced himself because he hadn't wanted me in danger. There was no future for us; there had been nothing for us from the start.

He was much better without me. Rivaille offered me memorable memories, something big that always had been there, the happiness in the morning when I heard my phone buzzing, the kindness of his words and pure support. And here I was, selfish again! But, God, how I wanted him to remain alive, powerful and mysterious in my memory!

I reread his messages over and over again, answering him quietly in my mind.

'I am sorry about your father.'

Everyone was.

'How are you?'

Stop asking. Please!

'I know you have nothing to do with what your father did. I promise that I'll bring your sister back without a scratch.'

I didn't want her back. She wasn't my sister any more. My real sister would have never worked with 'The Titans' and abandon me in the process. Everything had been a lie.

'Your silence is bothersome.'

My silence? What about yours, Rivaille? I waited for you like a fool for seven years! I didn't need your protection! I wanted you near! I wanted you when all my other heats hit, I wanted you to desire me, to be curious about me! My hope was for nothing!

'Eren, it has been hours. Please, answer.'

The first time you typed my name. You coward!

It took just a day and a half of ignoring him to see Petra from the window of my room approaching my house. From that moment on, for the next two days, at fixed times, I saw her, together with an Alpha man, take some steps forward and knock gently on the door, waiting for me to open. Usually after the two of them left, another person appeared, this time a Beta, tall and wearing glasses, clearly with a more curious and persistent nature, insistently knocking and even pressing the knob in an attempt of getting forcefully inside. The door had been locked for days, though. I didn't want to answer to see their faces full of pity for me, to see the sunlight. I spent most of my time on that bed, in absolute darkness, looking at the ceiling or the wall in front of me. It was enough.

'Eren, you don't need to give up on college. It's your last year and I won't permit you to throw three years out of window! I can resolve the debts your dad had; I can give you money for everything. Would you let me help you?'

No. It's none of your business. Leave me alone.

'Answer me!'

Was that a command? Fuck you! You are the same as every other Alpha. You are…

'What do you want from me? What can I do? Talk to me! I need you, Eren. Don't you dare even think of leaving me!'

Why were you saying that now? Why? I couldn't change my mind. I wanted to live! I wanted to live because one day you would die! That would shatter the pieces that remained of me and kill me!

'Whatever happens just remember that I'll always be watching over you. You are not alone. I'll always care so don't say goodbye to me.'

Why were you making this so hard? I had nothing to give you. I proved once again that I was weak; I couldn't even save my own father. I wanted to live because I could never be able to save you.

You were the one and only. I was nothing more than a selfish person with no control.

No one opened my coffin because in the end I got up and opened it myself.

There was a single last message I typed and sent before I threw the phone in the toilet and flushed the water.

'I waited for you seven years and in these years I never regretted my decision because I got to love for the first time. I fell in love with you even if you won't ever return the feeling. As the universe carries on endlessly even after death, so is my love. Thank you.'

What remained were just whispers of wonder in the wind.

…

"What is wrong with you? You are a motherfucking idiot!"

It was the first time I heard Armin saying such an offensive word.

"Armin, breathe!"

"Don't tell me to breathe! Why didn't you answer?"

"It's been just one day, dude."

"Do you know how worried I was?"

"Sorry. I dropped my phone in the toilet, so I kind of bought a new, cheap one. Got some money from Bert."

"What?"

I cleared my throat.

"Accidents happen, Armin."

"Oh, Eren…"

"By the way I… I think I'm ready if you still want me there."

"Are you serious? Of course I want you here. Marco won't mind. Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?"

"No. I'll take the train."

"Why?"

"I have to resolve some unfinished business."

…

Twenty-four hours later, I found myself sitting in a spotless house. The whole time I did nothing but clean like a mad man and only when the skin on my hands started to bleed because of the bleach did I stop. An Omega was worthless if they couldn't keep their nest and house sparkling. It was instinct. But there was something amiss and even my body felt it. This wasn't my territory any more.

White steam started rising from my hands indicating the beginning of my healing process. Alphas were tough, powerful, dominant, with all the five senses always functioning at maximum power, with speed, agility and strength. Omegas had none of that. Weak and submissive their death could be proclaimed by a simple scratch. But nature had always loved stability. In the end Omegas got something that Alphas would never possess; the power to heal their own wounds exceptionally fast. There was also a disadvantage which was crucial, without serenity and massive thinking the healing could never take place.

Soon my hands were clean and the pain disappeared, but the process left me dehydrated and more tired than usual. I took a shower and drank some water. I couldn't sleep. At 5 p.m. sharp I walked back to my room. I got my suitcase and before I turned and close the door, I looked around once again. On the well-arranged bed there was a piece of paper. I grabbed it and stuffed it in my pocket.

A taxi waited for me in front of my house. The driver took my suitcase and before I had the chance to climb in the car I saw a lean man with ruffled, pale brown hair, yelling and running toward me.

The driver watched me suspiciously and I signed him to wait.

The Beta finally came closer and before he had time to say anything I threw the keys of the house to him and surprisingly he caught them easily. Catching them was actually what I wanted him to do; it gave me a perfect glimpse of his wrists. He was working under Rivaille. It was obvious who I had to give the money to now. None of the people who dad owed money to came for me.

I genuinely smiled at the confused and breathless man.

"I'm moving out of this town. Tell your boss that the contract of the house is inside. I think that the house and the land will be enough to pay my own debt."

I climbed into the cab and closed the door before the man had the time to register my words. The driver read my mind and started the engine immediately. We were at some meters distance before the Beta, with a shocked expression, took some steps forward and opened his mouth. It was useless.

I couldn't stop the smile from gracing my face like I couldn't stop the tears that followed. They were limitless. At a second after, I did the grave mistake of turning my head. A black car stopped near the pale, brown haired man, after a sudden press of a brake and I recognize the tall glassed Beta woman who visited my house getting out first. And I knew that he was there. Rivaille was in that car. To see him for the first time…

I caught a glimpse of dark coloured hair before I stubbornly turned my head. It wasn't my place to see what would never belong to me. Soon the taxi took a turn and what remained behind me transformed into a lost past.

All I wanted was peace; all I wanted was not to crush the remains of my soul, I wanted to have him in my memories safe and sound. In this quest for keeping a love alive, I decided my own path. There were no more homecomings for me.

…

I got dragged by the collar into the dorm before I even had time to knock. The room was the same: clean, small and smelling fresh, but what was worrying was the way Bertholdt was watching me. When I looked at him for the first time after being dragged into the room, I thought that he had just taken a shower without drying himself; but that didn't make sense. Then I realized. It was sweat, and from the way he was trembling, almost hyperventilating, something was more than wrong.

"Bert, it hurts. Let me go." I said rubbing his back gently in comfort.

Now there were tears.

"I-I'm s-sorry."

He let me go and I directed him toward his bed. I got a cup of water and a towel, even if I knew that he would take a shower after, and gave it to him before I sat down myself. After he drank and cleaned himself a bit, I hugged him. Even with his problem, Bert never in his life smelled bad, always holding a very pleasant fragrance of flowers, their perfume changing abruptly with each emotion. He was a very special Omega. When he was happy or nervous you could smell sweet peas from a long distance, but when sadness or distress got the best of him sweat peas would get exchanged with a too powerful gardenia smell that could become disturbing with time.

When he wanted to get up, I stopped him.

"Bert, stay down. You can take a shower after you tell me what happened."

He avoided looking into my eyes, shyly looking over his shoulder.

"I… they were looking for you, Eren."

I was on my feet in an instant.

"Who? They hurt you? Are you alright? Who were they?"

Bertholdt started trembling again and immediately I felt bad for screaming at him.

"I d-don't know. I can't… I can't tell you."

I wanted to slap some sense into him.

"Dammit, Bertholdt!" Where was all this anger coming from?

He grabbed my forearm and squished it.

"They wanted me to tell them where you live. They didn't hurt me but…"

That 'but' made uncomfortable. Bert bit his lip so hard that I could see blood.

"It was a Beta and a-an Alpha… T-That Alpha… I never me-met someone like h-him. He was so do-dominant. I got scared, Eren."

But Rivaille… he knew where I lived. What was going on?

Bert sat back on the bed and he watched me directly in the eyes. I asked him, curiosity getting the better out of me.

"Did he smell like the ocean?"

He shook his head but that wasn't a 'no'. It was a sign that he couldn't tell.

"Please, Bertholdt…"

"I am so sorry. I couldn't… I told him what part of the city your house was in, but I didn't tell him exactly where. He made me swear that I wouldn't tell you anything if I wanted to never see him again, I… Don't make me do this, Eren."

I hugged him again and he returned the hug. He was scared and I understood him.

"Why? Why are the 'Wings' after you? " His voice got muffed by my shoulder. I didn't answer.

"Go and get that shower now. It's okay. No one will know that you told me. Thanks. I appreciate it, Bert."

He got up, but halfway to the bathroom he turned around, like had had forgotten something.

"At first he tried to give me money in exchange for the information. I told him that I refused and that I wanted him to leave but he… he tried to use his pheromones to make me talk, but the Beta stopped him and… I don't know what you did, Eren, but that Alpha looked desperate and heartbroken and… maybe I was scared but I also felt bad for him so… I told him what he needed. I'm really sorry. It wasn't my place to tell."

I nodded.

"It's really okay. Go shower. I can't stay for long and I need to talk to you fast."

Bertholdt wrung his hands nervously.

"He still left the money. On your nightstand. He said that if I don't want it, I should give it to you."

He left and at a second inspection I saw what Bert had been talking about. The sum of money that was situated near my bed left me gasping like a fish. It was enormous.

When my roommate came back I was packing some clothes that belonged to me from the room and putting it in my suitcase.

"Are you leaving? Why? What about college?"

"I'll just take the courses online. Something came up and I was forced to move."

"Is this about your father and Mikasa?"

I sighed avoiding the question.

"About the money. You can take it." I said with pure honesty. "I don't need them."

There were moments in the past where Bertholdt would have watched me like I was the biggest idiot in the world. He got the same expression when I said that.

"You need the money more than I do. You borrowed from me last time, remember?"

"Yes, and because you helped me you can have it. I'll get a job really soon. You can consider this as me paying you back. No one will bother you any more. They know I'm moving out of this town."

My tone was final. I closed my suitcase and walked toward him.

"Thankies, Berty, for everything."

He wrinkled his nose.

"Don't call me that! When you get there, call me."

It felt good laughing.

"Sure, sure. Be safe, okay? I'm sorry for what you had to go through."

"Don't mention it. Always friends?"

"Pinky swear."

When I finally left toward the station, my heart started beating faster and a huge dread settled on my shoulders. But when I took a seat in the train, near a pair of old French people who came to visit Germany, I felt like screaming.

Took me hours to reach my destination, but when I got out of the train, Armin was not the only one smiling at me, because there were Marco, Connie, Sasha and Jean waiting for me as well. No great unknown, no final hour.

There was still the heavy weight of that one piece of paper in my pocket.

…

With Armin's help I avoided all the discrimination and found an easy job in less than three days.

"Basically, you would be hired as a cleaner in this clinic on the second floor, which is the one reserved just for the Alpha patients. As you can imagine, the standards of cleanliness imposed are extremely high since Alphas are incredibly sensitive to contaminants, especially when they are sick or injured. I suspect you have some knowledge along those lines, Mr. Yeager."

Even with my temper, my general knowledge of things was not scanty. It was unavoidable in life not to know that a sick Alpha was very vulnerable and the quickest way to get laid off and even charged with criminal neglect and assault was to ignore protocol or touch a sick Alpha without gloves. Just a mate had the right to do that.

The man, Nile Dok, watched me for a long time, studying me and as always I dared to make eye contact. Alphas didn't enjoy to be looked at directly, finding the action a provocation. A challenge was everything a normal Omega wanted to avoid with their lives for obvious reasons, but I continued my staring without blinking once. Who said that there was something normal in me?

"Yes, sir." I said with determination and confidence.

Nile looked at me sceptically, but I could see the surprise hidden well in his eyes.

"Kid, you are a very weird Omega, I must admit. The post is yours."

It turned out the clinic was rather massive. It was shaped like a square with a hollow centre. In that centre was a rather elaborate courtyard with a beautiful garden, an ideal place to enjoy if one was recovering from injury or an illness.

Who would have thought that one day, that person who hated all the Alphas with a passion and fought against them would endeavour later to take care of them? It felt amazing, to finally do a deed, to escapade of all the hate that rooted my soul. Why did I change so much? Was it because my new enemies were now my own thoughts?

All I could do was to wait for a day when smashing the wall of memories that kept me from reality would come without effort and suffering.

…

"Mister Janitor?"

I raised my head scouting the surrounding and finally found the source of the sweet voice who called me. I had been allocated that day to clean the room of a young Alpha boy. He was watching me with flushed cheeks and after a while, he smiled, showing me his two missing teeth.

"Yes?"

"Do you kno' that you're the most beautiful Omega I eve' saw? You're even more beautiful than mama."

I stopped what I was doing and smiled at him.

"Hmm… thank you, my prince. I am really honored," I winked at him and after an elegant bow, he started giggling.

"I'm Berwick. What's your name, Mister Janitor?"

"Eren, at your service, your majesty."

"Can I ask somethin' of you, Eren?"

When he saw me raising my eyebrow, Berwick grabbed a book and signalled to me to stay on the bed.

"Can you read fo' me? I'm sleepy."

With small hands, Berwick rubbed his eyes making my heart beat fast and awakening something abundant in me, something that made me content and full of warmth. I could have risk ten minutes.

"Sure."

After I arranged the pillows near him and making sure he stayed warm, the boy gave the book to me. I inspected it for a bit and thought for a second that he actually mistook it for something else.

"This is not Spiderman."

"I know, you silly! Mother read me almost all of it. I just need to know the last story."

Pouting he watched me stubbornly and shook his head like he couldn't believe my stupidity. Weren't Alpha children like him interested in stories with cars or superheroes? But Greek mythology?

"Do you like the Greek myths, Eren?"

"I never read them all."

"Such a shame! You should. I can burrow you my book. After you read me the last story you can take it and read it for yourself! And yes, I am pretty sure. Please, for me!"

I opened the book while nodding.

"Okay, you kitty. Stop it before you start purring."

He laughed again and tried to kick me with a small foot.

"Hey, do ya know about Hades? I liked him very much and I don't think he was a bad guy. He was just misunderstood." Berwick said suddenly scratching his small nose.

"Why's that? He ruled the underworld after all. You know, dead people, darkness. "

"Well, Hades neve' chose the underworld as his domain. He and his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, drew straws to see who would be lord of what realm. Zeus drew the heavens and the upper' world, Poseidon drew the seas, and Hades drew the underworld. The underworld gave him everything', transforming' him into the richest God. But I bet all the gold couldn't sustain his loneliness. Can you imagine how lonely he was there? I think that… there must be some Hades somewhere in the world. Rich, misunderstood and lonely. Isn't it sad?"

There were words, million of them stuck in my mind and throat. I couldn't get them out.

"I think that Hades abducted Persephone, the one with a beauty that rivalled Aphrodite's, because he fell in love. He took her in the underworld because it was the only place where she could see the real him," continued the boy.

"Hmm," I blinked rapidly. "I really need to read this myth now. Sounds interesting."

In the low light Berwick's face looked too pale and his cheeks too hallowed. But he still magnified me with his innocent smile.

"Should I read now?"

He nodded and coughed a bit. I lowered my eyes, opening my mouth once again.

"Once upon a time, Psyche was the little daughter among the three princesses of a king... "

I continued without stopping for some time. It was beautiful and the feelings the story transmitted hit me unaware. There was a dark shiver working down on my back when the room got all of the sudden colder.

"…One night Psyche waited for her husband to fall asleep and came back with a lamp. Under the light she finally saw her husband's face, as beautiful as he always was, the God of Love. She was deeply touched and her hands were trembling so hard that she dropped a little bit of oil from the lamp on his shoulder and awoke him. He immediately flew away but she could still hear his voice in the wind whispering…"

I stopped. So absorbed I haven't noted when the little boy closed his eyes. There was still a smile on his lips. The thick book still graced my hands and remembering my promise, I took it with the thought that I could return it the day after. Even when I got back to my work, the last sentence resonated like a spell in my mind: "Love can't exist without honesty and trust".

Were you a Hades, Rivaille?

…

The night got colder and ghastly with each passing hour. It was like the winter became too brash, showing its presence, its signature around without a care, perpetual. My second night working in the clinic and I already got familiar with many things that even people who worked for years didn't know about. That's why, when unfamiliar Alpha men with stoic faces started walking around, a sign of suspicious rose in my mind. They tried to blend, but they did it stupidity, without being subtle, and soon it got obvious that they weren't there for someone who became victim of a sickness or accident.

It wasn't my place to take action, even if my logic was screaming at me to do something and my instincts pushed me to hide. I needed the job, so I had to stay low and not attract attention.

When I took my twenty minutes break, I decided to go outside to get some fresh air. I found Annie, my co-worker, smoking near a pillar and I approached her. Not a very sociable person, but a very dominant Alpha, with an odd smell (a combination of spice and wet wood) she was the first person who watched me with respect from the beginning and didn't say anything about my Omega behaviour.

Annie saw me coming closer and when I stopped near her she offered me a cigarette which I politely declined. Before I opened my mouth, she said:

"You saw them too."

It wasn't a question, but a sentence. She already knew. There was no chance for me to decline so I nodded.

"If you are curious there is a rumour. A rich French Alpha came in town today and fortunately for his ass, something bad happened. They are sending him here. What you saw on hallways are his bodyguards."

I arranged my red hoodie and let out a frustrated breath. That meant more work.

"Another pain in our asses," continued the Alpha throwing the cigarette butt on the ground. "But this one is in a real bad condition. Got it bad for one Omega and the chick left him. Dude got that 'Malignant Syndrome.' They say that he resisted nearly one week without even cracking. Bullshit. A normal Alpha can't resist more than one day if their true mate decides to not stay. But today he fell like a leaf. There is a chance of him to never wake up again. Isn't love really fucked up?"

There weren't many Alphas affected by the 'Malignant Syndrome' these days because many were busy producing money than finding their real mate, but even so, everyone knew what that was. An illness that affected just Alphas, a topic that had been surpassed for years to no end, with opinions threw in left and right, with people saying that everything consisted in mental health, that the syndrome didn't exist in real life, with others who wanted to prove that it was real and that the pain from it was the most horrible thing someone could experiment. There was nothing worse than losing your real mate.

It had been proven that a powerful Alpha can detect their true mate, an ability Omegas or Betas hadn't be blessed to hold. The first sniff of their mates could deviate the Alpha's pheromones, releasing them at an abnormal speed and putting their body into an immense pressure that could provoke pain and shock along with the disappearance for a short while of their unique smell. The pain could be settled if the Alpha had the possibility of staying near their chosen one and mark them. But not many stories ended with a happy ending. Many Omegas or Betas, who found themselves in the position of being a mate to someone for life, refused to cooperate and ran away, the Alpha remaining in pain and finally after hours of torment, falling into a coma, with their body shutting down completely. There were just two cases in history when the Alpha actually woke up again, but even so they died soon after.

Love was like an ice storm that slaughtered.

I flinched when someone pinched my arm gently.

"What's with that face?

I looked back at Annie in bewilderment.

"Did you just fucking pinch me?"

"You were making a sad face. It was weird."

"I can't be sad?" I asked ironically.

"No. You shouldn't care about strangers. Alphas are all assholes. I thought you'd know better, Yeager."

I wanted to argue, but she started walking back and I remained quiet.

When I returned inside I realized that the book was still in my hand. Was it a hobby now to carry it around?

There were sounds. A lot of them were coming from Berwick' room so I walked toward it. I saw doctors at first gathered around the bed and I couldn't comprehend the situation. When they finally looked up at each other and someone said the exact time, I became more confused. And when they covered Thomas' body and took him out of the room, passing near me, I felt how the coldness disappeared.

'I think that… there must be some Hades somewhere in the world. Rich, misunderstood and lonely. Isn't it sad?'

It took two seconds for my tears to start falling.

…

"Yeager, you have five minutes to get back to work or you are fired."

I flexed my fingers over and over again over the red cover of the book. It was like I didn't have control over my body. I couldn't feel it. It wasn't begging like it always did. Nile was saying something in that annoying voice of his but I could care less. Shock and disbelief made me go hot and then cold as the seriousness of my situation hit me. I ran like a coward because I had been afraid of being hurt or dying, but there were people like Berwick who fought with death until there was no more power to sustain their body, but never ran. Because they had it more bad in life and their own control sheltered them.

White silhouettes were consuming the environment around me, some of them were running and Nile was long gone. My chair was hard and unwelcome. Foggy voices full of horror resonated at the end of the hall. A girl was crying hysterically. It was horribly heartbroken how like a mantra, she was murmuring a name and begged that person to stop.

"Levi, stop!"

Bleak fear was flooding in the air. It was suffocating, almost fatal. I hated fear, because the smell of it always made me panic. Panic destroyed, shattered in million pieces what you fought to build, what you wanted near…

"Hold his arms, dammit!"

"We can't! He is too strong! He broke the restrains!"

The voices… so far away from me… and the fear made me tremble.

Without realizing, my hands clutched the book so hard that I could sense pain in every layer of my skin. Time moved so slow that at first I had the ambiguous suspicion that my own feelings were crushing on me with double intensity. I couldn't get a single breath; my heart felt like it was going to burst. It was like I was taking a shower and all the water hit my face … like a rabbit caught in a car's headlights. Drenched in sweat and feeling sick, my throat got all tight, like a ball was stuck in there. Breathe! But I couldn't breathe! Not enough air in his lungs. My brain was vibrating very quickly causing a low-pitched humming sound in my ears.

I was panicking.

Where had my strength gone?

I started to breathe again, in and out easily with concentration, massaging my chest. The book had fallen from my hands, forgotten on the spotless floor. More doctors ran in front of me toward the end of the hallway, others got away with bloody noses, terrified. I even saw Alpha crying desperately, a sign that left me gasping. It was something rare for an Alpha to get scared so badly. What was going on?

I rose to my feet, from that uncomfortable chair and started approaching the small crowd of people wearing white, forgetting for a moment my panic attack. The air still smelled unpleasant. There were no bodyguards in sign. Weird.

"Get away, Mina! Get away!" someone yelled and in that moment everyone gasped and stepped back allowing me a better view of what was truly going on.

There was a trolley with a new patient, one that from the looks of it had just been brought in. At first my eyes got drawn to his very white complexion. Without a shirt on, his skin had a grey tinge to it, radiating sickness. But I couldn't just look and not admire the absolute beauty that was presented in front of me. Even compelled by illness, the skin, market with deep scars, determined an unknown history, coloured memories, something left unsaid, pain. I thought that he was a Beta at first, without a scent, emanating just a normal odour of blood and tears. But no Beta could have that strong and complex body. It crazily bespoke an overwhelming animalistic dominance. It was so pure. His pheromones, weak in number, surrounded me, making my knees tremble. He was sick; he shouldn't be able to eliminate pheromones any more. I took some steps back as well. What… what was this man? This man who could make other Alphas cry, who was still fighting to get up to his feet, who was not actually in a coma even in his terminal condition? How could something like this exist, such a force of nature?

He tried to get up raising himself on an elbow, his muscles flexing along with the action and no one dared to approach him again. A deadly quiet ironed the long hallway. I was fascinated. He almost succeeded to put a foot on the floor when an Alpha woman touched his arm. That mistake triggered a series of events that I would never be able to grasp properly. The movement that followed happened in less than a second. His fist moved so fast, but most like intentionally it didn't hit the woman, just a spot near her head, the wall taking the man's fury. The doctor froze, without moving her gaze from his face and then I heard it. A growl. So deep and threatening.

"Levi, no!"

It was the same girl who screamed before. I got a glimpse of her figure (thin, red hair in pigtails, Omega) before another doctor, this time a cute, blond Omega, tried to come closer. That made Levi mad, like there was nothing sane in his thinking. When he raised his hand to either hit or grab, I knew that this time he wouldn't miss.

Everyone stood frozen, watching how the end of that girl was approaching, so I ran, but not outside, I ran to help that Omega. I pushed her aside making her fell like a sack of wet cement on the ground. Immediately his hand grabbed my neck and dragged me harshly toward him. The man squished so hard, trying to cut the oxygen and he succeeded. I couldn't breathe again. It was the second time that night. I felt like a doll in his strong grip. I had no more strength in my body. He wasn't like the other Alphas, weak and false, he was too real. I didn't know why but in these moments when death was so close, I refused to close my eyes, instead I tried to see his face. I deserved to know the face of the one who would be my killer. Everything felt unavoidable, it was an eradicated uneven.

Such a crazy colour mesmerized his sharp and intimidating eyes. There was no weakness in his unfocused gaze and that left me perplexed and shocked. The dark circles from under his eyes got his countenance's characteristics even more accentuated along with his pale skin: strong jaw, crusty and chapped full lips, and his hair, except for the short undercut on the sides, messy. There was something foreign about him, something that I couldn't place my finger on it. He didn't look European but neither Asian. He looked handsome, majestically, untouchable, undefeated.

But then there came the tears, which distorted and destroyed my vision. I wanted to breathe so badly. I raised my hand, action that took an unimaginable force, and touched his arm. The man was so warm and solid. He stopped. Closing my eyes in relief, I started breathing again slowly, his fingers ghosts on my cold skin, lingering like they couldn't despread or believe what they had just done. I felt how Levi's fingers slipped around the point of my jaw, under the ear, drawing little trails of fire. He stopped just when he reached the line of my hair.

I opened my eyes and saw his form coming closer to me. Scared, I closed my eyes again waiting a hit, but nothing came. Instead arms wrapped around me, holding me tight and I put my hands on his biceps to not lose my balance. His touch was pleasant and his warm body fit so perfectly with my cold one.

"Finally… mine..."

His voice, deep and raw, was like a slap. It sounded familiar somehow like a wind swirled around like an iridescent bird, bringing light to my world.

I woke up instantly and the situation hit me like a punch to the gut. Where was I? What have I done? What just happened?

Levi's eyes were wide open and soon pain got reflected in his eyes, pain that made me feel dizzy under the pressure of my own emotions. When he became stiff, I knew that he was finally falling. Still holding me tight, he slowly put his head on my shoulder and sighed. I let him even if my rational mind was screaming at me to push him away.

There was shock on everyone's faces and I could bet that there was shock on my face as well. I could feel him against my body, slowly losing his consciousness, dragging me down with him. It was impossible for me to support him. Maybe he was a bit shorter than me, but I was too lean while he was broad and muscular.

The woman doctor, who nearly got punched at first, realized what was going to happen and with caution approached us. When she considered that it was safe enough, she managed to sedate the Alpha. Even so he wouldn't let me go, and I did what my instincts dictated me to do. I had returned the embrace and murmured soothing nonsense until the Alpha had shuddered and finally released me.

The silence broke and everyone came closer taking him from my arms. Everything became a blur after. I still couldn't comprehend what I had done. I walked back to my chair and got the book from the floor ignoring the desultory noise or the passing people. I sat down and manage to breathe two times until the red haired Omega that had clearly came with the patient moved in front of me. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but that didn't stop her from frowning at me like I was an ugly specimen in a zoo. I could care less so I ignored her. But then all of the sudden there was something registered on her face. Shocking realization.

"Hi. Hmm, thanks for that…"

I nodded and she sat in the chair next to mine.

"I am Isabel Magnolia. That was my big brother, Levi. I swear that most of the time he is a cool guy! Hmm, and you are?"

I raised my eyebrow. Why was she telling me that? It wasn't like I was interested in mating with her brother or something…

"Eren. Eren Yeager."

She gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. What was wrong with her?

The girl rose back to her feet, with weird, sparkling eyes. She was radiating happiness, like her brother wasn't nearly dying any more.

I wanted to start screaming, to drag some reason in her head, but Nile made an apparition and called me.

And in that moment a thought rendered my heart. I had touched a sick Alpha without gloves. I was doomed! How rare and splendid was to be alive!

But somehow I didn't regret it. On my way toward the boss' office a thought disintegrated, in all the possible ways, my mind. Were his eyes blue or were they grey? Even if the answer would have been different I still remained with the impression that I actually saw something inside them: an entire universe.

It didn't remain unseen to me the hole the man left in the wall with his punch.

…

I messed up big time and something bad was going to happen. It was clear from Nile's disgusted expression that he was going to be the one doing it. Surprisingly there was no fury or fear left in me. A grand numbness pressed on my unconscious. I was feeling nothing.

"Can you at least comprehend what have you done?"

Nile looked furious.

"Do you know who that man is? Do you?"

He came closer, but I didn't step back. I remained on my spot, watching him with a raised eyebrow. Maybe I looked smug, but I didn't care. I won't show any weakness.

"That man… he's going to skin you alive when he will wake up, just because your filthy hands touched him! And I mean it! His power is groundless; he can't be stopped by anyone! You, your family, your friends, Levi will end all of you in the most painful ways!"

The painful way he was yelling in my face didn't impress me at all.

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me with all his strength.

"Do you want to be saved? I can save you, Yeager! I can, by sending you to jail. I can call the cops and when they will be here all you have to do is to admit that you touched him by your own will."

Wait, what? What the flying fuck was wrong with this dude?

"Because of his influence you'll be send to life prison. That'll satisfy his need. Don't you think? No one will die. It's the only way you can be saved."

Nile was smiling now, showing me his perfect teeth. He looked like he was so happy that he could kiss himself, very self-congratulatory. I could just gasp. My body wasn't functioning properly any more but my feelings returned full force rocking my brain for a second. After that the pain appeared grandiose and exuberant. My neck was hurting the most and I could bet that a very big bruise had formed already around it. Swallowing was like a Herculean task, nearly impossible. Even sick, Levi nearly killed me and now this man, who I didn't know at all, was commanding me to declare something that I didn't do, to rot in prison just because I saved an Omega woman from the hands of a crazy Alpha who wanted to kill everything in his way! Who did Nile think he was?

Fuck control! Who needed it when I would have lost it in moments like these? Contracting my muscles I quickly drew back my free fist. I hit him square in the jaw, so hard that the collision put him two steps back. Realizing what happened he tried to surround me with his pheromones. They were so weak compared with the ones I experimented before. It was like a tickle on the nose. I burst into laughing while fury blinded me easily. Why to struggle when I needed it? I missed it flowing in my veins.

I was so ready to jump and finish the life of the man in front of me, an ugly coward who thought that he could command me like I was **his, **when the door opened forcefully.

The girl from before, Isabel, pressed her foot into the room followed by someone else, a tall, blonde Alpha with calm, intelligent eyes that left me dizzy and immobile. The smell of old books mixed with an emancipated powerful vanilla aroma was what I could sense from him. It was unusual and quite frightening because Alphas never smelt sweet. It was wrong. Even with the too unique odour the man remained alluring, proud and imposing.

"Erwin…"

Nile frowned, displeasure reading on his long face, shooting a disdainful bitter glare in the direction of the new Alpha. He didn't like his new guests or the fact that he got interrupted without respect.

Erwin scanned with his profound blue eyes the room understanding the situation in a blink. I gulped down nervously in instinct and immediately raised my hand toward my neck. So much pain. Darkness invaded my vision for a moment and when I thought that I was going to fall, a warm, big hand touched my shoulder jolting me back to light with a loud cry of surprise. I remained on my trembling feet.

"My apologies for interrupting you Nile, but I'm afraid Eren Yeager is no longer available." Erwin said while putting his other hand as well on my free shoulder. Behind his words it was no doubt hidden an order. He wasn't joking at all.

I clenched my teeth and looked behind glaring daggers at him.

"What? Who the flying fuck are you? Are you here to arrest or threaten me? Please do. I really feel like ripping some balls."

I was trying not to chock on my own words but I was the only one agitated. No one moved a muscle, but they were watching. I had enough.

"Fuck off!"I pushed out harshly from Erwin's grip hissing and tried to stalk toward the door.

Isabel was stunned watching me with wide, sparkling eyes, but when I walked past her she grabbed my hand desperately.

"Please…" she whispered.

"Interesting..." said Erwin smiling and eyeing me. "Isabel, please take Mr. Yeager outside and wait for me. Meanwhile find a medic that can look at that horrible bruise of his. Levi will not be pleased with his work. I and Nile need to have a very important discussion. It won't take long. Now if you excuse us…"

The 'Keep an eye on him.' remained unsaid, but it was so clearly in that kindly fake tone of him.

I got dragged out of the door exceptionally fast. The hallway was empty, so dejected, not a soul walking on it except for us. After she closed the door, the Omega turned toward me and frowned slightly with her eyebrows knitted in concern inspecting me. I tensed when she slipped a hand, titling my head so she could focus on my neck.

"Oh God…" she stutters, abashed.

Was it that bad? I prayed not to be touched where it hurt the most, but my prayer remained unheard. Isabel softly put her hand around my neck trying to massage it and without realizing I whined pathetically feeling tears pricking the corners of my eyes.

The girl jumped and started to apologize asking me if I was okay. I croaked back that I was fine and started telling myself that everything was normal and that I was going to escape soon.

Mint. She was all mint, pretty and innocent looking but possessing the same mysterious spark as her brother. Should she be trusted or not? I was confused.

Isabel shot me her million-watt grin looking like an eager puppy.

"You are much more beautiful than me. Not fair. What's your secret?"

I sighed.

"What do you want from me? Tell me now so I can leave."

She laughed lightly.

"What are you saying? You can't leave. We need to find a free doctor for you and after talk a bit. Don't leave. Please, Eren?"

I nodded. Thankfully, she was too focused finding her phone to notice my red ears.

"Oh, I need to call Farlan… Where the hell is my phone? Found it! Okay, wait here. I'm going to find a doctor fast. Don't move."

Nodding again, I sat on a chair while she with hurried steps disappeared from my vision. Instantly, I got up and ran in the other direction. Everyone was bashing insane! Nothing made sense any more, but I needed to calm the hell down and apprehend the reality. I had to disappear. I was running, but damn me if I wasn't running from some nuts people. Okay, to revise. First, there was a handsome Alpha, foreign looking and strong that could resist when an unbelievable sickness hit him and still had the strength to beat the shit out of many. Not only that, but soon after another crazy dude wanted me to declare something that didn't happen so I could go to jail. Sounded more like… he wanted me out of the equation. Like I was all of the sudden a bother and I needed to disappear. How fucked up that was?

Something wasn't right, not in the slightest. Well I wasn't working at the clinic any more. I would disappear and they won't see me again. My fucks were not for me to give. Or were they?

'I always lie' had always been a paradox because if it was true it would have been false.

I still felt Berwick's book in my hand.

'I think that… there must be some Hades somewhere in the world. Rich, misunderstood and lonely. Isn't it sad?'

Why had Levi came in this small, lonely town all of the sudden? Why now? For what reason?

'A rich French Alpha came in town today and fortunately for his ass, something bad happened.'

French? But Levi didn't have a French accent. Or did he? I couldn't hear it clearly earlier but his deep voice it was so familiar though.

Cosmic.

'Finally… mine...' Why did he say that? Did he think I was someone else? I wonder who...

'You're such a beautiful idiot, brat.'

I felt terrified all of the sudden, so afraid, I thought I was going to die. My heart was pounding and my head was spinning.

Rich…

'I can resolve the debts your dad had; I can give you money for everything. Would you let me help you?'

All I really wanted was to have a happy life…

Lonely…

'I don't know what you did, Eren, but that Alpha looked desperate and heartbroken.'

I wanted to live…

Why?

Misunderstood…

'That was my big brother, Levi. I swear that most of the time he is a cool guy!'

How was it possible?

Stars. They were always twinkling in the night and watching over us. Passive observers of the world below. Were they watching me in that moment? I could just hope that they had seen my story because I had a feeling that it would end very soon.

…

In seven years, Rivaille never revealed personal details about himself. Whenever I asked, he would have made a lame joke or change the subject. It slaughtered my heart. At first it passed as indifference but after some deep-seated thinking I found the power to believe that it was exactly the opposite. I accepted, but still remained a persistent brat who asked silly questions with no answers. I never stopped to hope. I never stopped to think that maybe he didn't want me to find about him. I never stopped to reflect that maybe he was protecting me from his own demons.

I returned. The quiet of the hallways was vibrating in my bones. I had to know, to be sure. I wanted to see the man whose arms circled me like I was something to venerate, who whispered in my ear, who touched me with regret and sorrow.

Were you my Rivaille, Levi? But in the end won't I do the same thing if he was Rivaille or not? Won't I still run away?

I didn't interrupt my walking. Maybe if I did I would have noticed the permanent absence of the personal on the hallways. I looked for Isabel and couldn't see her around. That was good.

Was she one of the people you loved? Were they others? What about Petra? What about the Beta woman with the glasses? Did you trust them? But they knew where I lived. You didn't. Nothing was fair.

Took me some time but I found his room. It was so dark inside, but the moon understood my suffering and offered some of its light. Levi was alone, eyes closed, breathing regularly. His frown was still in place, the bags situated under his eyes darker. He wasn't sleeping peacefully; it was like something was bothering him. I know that I was gawking but I couldn't help myself. Pale, handsome, still looking in control even with eyes closed and out of the world. Jealous? Not really. I knew that I could never be someone like him.

It wasn't love, just admiration. I loved Rivaille and no one else. And if Levi wasn't Rivaille I could accept it. But it would be a lie not to admit that deep down I wished for Levi to be Rivaille, because that meant that I finally touched him, that I was breathing the same air as him. My heart hurt again. I anxiously began to bite my lip until I felt it bleed. I wasn't ready. I was so undecided.

After carefully looking around to see if the IV line was still in place, I bent closer to him. Long eyelashes granted so extraordinary his masculine, pale face. I could see his every pore now, I was that close. He smelled good, so clean, but with no unique scent. It calmed my stormy thoughts, made me reflect on my actions. Even so I couldn't help myself, my hand moved. I flinched when it touched Levi's hand, the one which was not under the cover. I intertwined our fingers briefly. I shouldn't have. I was without my gloves again, but it felt so good. He was a little feverish under my hand. I didn't have a thermometer so I carefully placed the back of my other hand on the Alpha's forehead and then on his cheek. The fever would likely spike and then break, only to spike again. The constant up and down of a fever was hard on the body and completely exhausting.

My instincts were exploding inside of me, pushing me to comfort, to hold him tight and help him heal. I fought them and instead I walked my hand through his, not so long, hair in an attempt to comfort. So soft.

The Alpha actually sighed and relaxed somewhat, which made me smile. The frown disappeared from his face. He looked lovelier now and really at peace. That was good. However, he was still quite ill and with that thought I remembered exactly the reason Levi was on that bed. He found his mate, one week ago and she left him.

I straightened up so fast that I swore some bones nearly cracked. In that moment I regretted everything: the wish that Levi was Rivaille, the touches. Rivaille couldn't be mated to someone! But wasn't I the one who ran, the hypocritical person? I was suffocating again and again. I screamed in my head. Please, don't take my Rivaille!

Finally after seconds I took all the courage I had and raised my body checking his arms. On his waists there was nothing, no tattoos, no scars. Nothing. Levi wasn't Rivaille and for the first time in my life I thanked to every God on Earth. Levi wasn't part of the 'Wings of Freedom'. He was an Alpha who shared the same status as Rivaille, nothing more.

I was happy. I started to walk back toward the door in tears.

There was still this feeling in my chest I couldn't decipher. The frown was back on the man's face and his eyes were moving frantically behind his closed eyelids. His fingers were twitching and he became more agitated along with the distance I put between us. His pulse was racing.

Levi wasn't my Rivaille. I had no reason to remain. But why was I feeling like my soul was burning alive?

The book I carried around for hours remained this time on his nightstand.

…

Annie was waiting for me in front of the door. At first I was confused, the red spots from her white blouse outstanding in the darkness. Blood. I asked what was going on, but instead of opening her mouth to answer me, she smirked and raised her right hand.

I trusted her. She had been special.

Stars. They were always twinkling in the night and watching over us. Passive observers of the world below. Were they watching me in that moment? I could just hope that they had seen my story because this was the end.

Boom!

* * *

More than 30 pages! Hope you are happy, you sadists!

To clarify some things here: no there won't be any character death warning for ya, Eren met Levi when he was 15 (canon feelings much xD) so in this chapter he is 22 and of course there are no plot holes even if it seemed like it. It's quite funny how the girls know where Eren lived and Levi didn't. Things will be clarified in the future chapters.

As you already saw, Levi's hair is a little different from the canon, his undercut is on the sides and not on the back of his head. I promise you that he will get the original haircut later in the story. If you are curious on how he looks now, check the chapter posted on AO3. The picture is not made by me, I just used it as reference. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the artist.

Well, going back to my porn now. I am opened to honest criticism, because I am here to improve. So if you wanna say something, do it!

Thanks for reading!

**EDIT 2:** Someone asked me in a review if Levi is indeed Rivaille or if they are two different people and I really want to clarify this thing. Levi is Rivaille. Rivaille is Levi. The same person. The one and only. 'Levi' is his real name while 'Rivaille' is just the name he used to rule and create the 'Wings of Freedom'. People are confused because didn't Levi feel Eren's smell when they met the first time? Why Annie said that Levi sniffed his mate one week prior? Because he did. He smelt Eren when he pressed foot into his house and not when Eren was 15. It can sounds illogical but it isn't. Eren, when in heat, had his scent still hidden. (Remember the pill he took.) But a pill to contain his smell for two weeks? Hmm, I think I spoiled you enough with this spoiler. Hahaha! Every question will be answered. Just be patient.


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